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Best Netflix Korean Dramas to Learn Korean

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Watching Korean movies on Netflix is a great way to practice the Korean language in a way that’s fun, even if you’re not in the country. In this article, we’ll recommend ten Netflix Korean dramas to learn Korean, as well as many secret tips and advice on how to learn Korean using these shows.

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Table of Contents

  1. Why is it Important to Learn Korean Using Netflix Dramas?
  2. How to Watch Korean Netflix for Language-Learning
  3. Korean Netflix List: 10 Best Korean Dramas on Netflix
  4. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean

1. Why is it Important to Learn Korean Using Netflix Dramas?

Best Ways to Learn

1- You Can Immerse Yourself in Korean Vocabulary

You can choose a Korean Netflix series or movie that has many words related to your interests. For example, if you want to learn about Korean business, then you should look for business-related dramas. If you’re interested in learning conversational Korean, you should look for romance stories or family-related dramas.

2- You Can Practice the Flow and Pronunciation of Korean

Actors and actresses speak very clearly in Korean Netflix films and series. By repeating phrases and mimicking them, you’ll be able to improve your Korean skills.

3- You May Learn a Slice of Korean Culture

Not all Korean dramas reflect our culture, but you will be able to learn Korean customs by watching how characters interact with each other. For example, you may notice in the Korean TV dramas on Netflix that when meeting someone of higher status (e.g. their boss), native Koreans usually bow to show respect.

2. How to Watch Korean Netflix for Language-Learning

Improve Pronunciation

How can you use Korean Netflix content to actually learn Korean? Here are a couple of tips for how to use Korean Netflix TV shows for your benefit!

1- Choose a Drama You Like

What’s your favorite genre? Do you want to focus more on daily conversation or business language? Make a list of your goals in learning Korean and choose the drama that matches with your needs. Also, learning Korean should be fun, so try to choose a Korean Netflix drama that interests you.

2- Watch to Learn

Everyone has their own methods for studying a language. Here, we’ll introduce two methods to study Korean on Netflix.

1. Practice Intonation and the Pronunciation by Repetition

Some people prefer to watch the first episode with subtitles in their own language. This is because they want to understand the entire story before jumping into learning Korean. Once the first episode is finished, they try re-watching it with Korean subtitles and writing down all the expressions, phrases, and vocabulary that they found useful.

Netflix has a special feature where you can rewind the show by ten seconds. Use this feature to listen to the part that you want to learn. Pay close attention to the flow, intonation, and pronunciation. Practice it many times until you’re comfortable with the speed.

2. Study Korean with Transcripts

Others download an entire transcript of the show and use it as their study material. For example, they may choose to leave blanks in the transcript, and then fill in those blanks while listening to the show. To see how they did, they turn on the subtitles and watch again.

There are many methods for learning Korean. I’m sure you have your own way, too.

Without further ado, let’s discover what’s on Korean Netflix for you!

3. Korean Netflix List: 10 Best Korean Dramas on Netflix

Genres

1- Korean Drama: 킹덤 (Kingdeom)

1. Basic Information

2. Story

The Korean Netflix Kingdom periodical drama is set in the Chosun Dynasty and revolves around Prince Yi-Chang, who is forced to embark on a mission to investigate the spread of a mysterious disease that kills people. (Read more)

3. Example

이 드라마는 조선 시대를 배경으로 한 좀비 미스터리 스릴러이다.
I deuramaneun Joseon sidaereul baegyeongeuro han jombi miseuteori seurilleoida.
“The drama is a zombie mystery thriller based on the Chosun Dynasty period.”

4. Vocabulary List

*Click a word below to listen to the Korean pronunciation.

  • 드라마 (deurama) — “drama/show”
  • 조선 시대 (Joseon sidae) — “the Joseon Dynasty period”
  • 배경 (baegyeong) — “background”
  • 좀비 (jombi) — “Zombi”
  • 미스터리 스릴러 (miseuteori seurilleo) — “Mystery Thriller”

2- Korean Drama: 로맨스는 별책부록 (Romaenseuneun byeolchaekburok)

1. Basic Information

  • Name: 로맨스는 별책부록 (romaenseuneun byeolchaekburok)
    • Translation: Romance is a Bonus Book
  • Type: Netflix Original
  • Season: 1
  • Episodes: 16
  • Genres: Romantic TV show
  • Actors: Lee Jong-suk; Lee Na-yong; Jung Yoo-jin

2. Story

The story of this Korean drama by Netflix revolves around Cha Eun Ho—a successful author and a senior editor at a publishing company—and Kang Da-i, a single mother who was once a successful advertising executive. They each face their own personal and professional challenges, while gradually developing feelings for each other. (Read more)

3. Example

이 드라마에 나오는 강단이(이나영)는 짧은 결혼 생활 끝에 이혼을 하게 되고 1년 동안 혼자 아이를 키우며 취직을 하게 됩니다.
I deuramae naoneun Gang Dan-Yi (inayeong)neun jjalbeun gyeolhon saenghwal kkeute ihoneul hage doego ilnyeon dongan honja aireul kiumyeo chwijigeul hage doemnida.
“Gang Dan-Yi, a single mom divorced after a short marriage, lands a job after taking care of her child on her own for a year.”

4. Vocabulary List

*Click a word below to listen to the Korean pronunciation.

  • 이혼 (ihon) — “divorce”
  • 결혼 (gyeolhon) — “marriage”
  • 취직 (chwijik) — “finding a job”
  • 짧다 (jjalda) — “short”
  • 키우다 (kiuda) — “to raise (a kid/animal/plant)”

3- Korean Drama: 도깨비 (Dokkaebi)

1. Basic Information

  • Name: 도깨비 (dokkaebi)
    • Translation: Guardian: The Lonely and Great God. Also known as Goblin.
  • Season: 1
  • Episodes: 16
  • Genres: Romance; Sci-Fi
  • Actors: Gong Yoo; Lee Dong-wook; Kim Go-eun

2. Story

Kim Shin is a goblin who wants to end his immortal life. To do this, he needs to find his human bride, the only being who can end his life. He is roommates with the Grim Reaper and the story of the Korean Goblin Netflix show starts from there. (Read more)

3. Example

이 드라마에는 도깨비(공유)와 저승사자(이동욱), 그리고 도깨비의 신부(김고은)가 나옵니다.
I deuramaeneun dokkaebi(Gong Yoo)wa jeoseungsaja(Lee Dong-wook), geurigo dokkaebiui sinbu(Kim Go-eun)ga naomnida.
“The drama features The Goblin (Gong Yoo), The Grim Reaper (Lee Dong-wook), and The Bride of the Goblin (Kim Go-eun).”

4. Vocabulary List

*Click a word below to listen to the Korean pronunciation.

  • 드라마 (deurama) — “drama”
  • 도깨비 (dokkaebi) — “Goblin”
  • 저승사자 (jeoseungsaja) — “the Grim Reaper”
  • 신부 (sinbu) — “bride”
  • 나오다 (naoda) — “to appear”

4- Korean Drama: 앵그리맘 (Aenggeurimam)

1. Basic Information

2. Story

Jo Kang-ja used to be a troublemaker at her high school, and dropped out of school when she became pregnant. She then decides to become a responsible mother to her daughter.

Many years later, however, her now-teenage daughter Ah-ran becomes bullied. Jo Kang-ja decides to enroll herself in her daughter’s high school as Jo Bang-woo to protect her daughter. It’s only there that she realizes that there are many problems within the Korean educational system, and so begins this Netflix Korean drama. (Read more)

3. Example

부산 고등학교에서 유명했던 주인공이 다시 고등학생이 되어 한국 교육의 문제점을 찾아내는 드라마이다.
Busan godeunghakgyoeseo yumyeonghaetdeon juingongi dasi godeunghaksaengi doeeo hanguk gyoyugui munjejeomeul chajanaeneun deuramaida.
“The main character, who was famous at Busan High School, becomes a high school student again and finds the problems of Korean education.”

4. Vocabulary List

*Click a word below to listen to the Korean pronunciation.

  • 고등학교 (godeunghakgyo) — “senior high school”
  • 유명 (yumyeong) — “famous”
  • 주인공 (juingong) — “protagonist”
  • 교육 (gyoyuk) — “education”
  • 문제점 (munjejeom) — “problem/drawback”

5- Korean Drama: 청춘시대 (Cheongchunsidae)

1. Basic Information

2. Story

This story is about the everyday life of five university students who share a house together. If you’re interested in how Korean university students live, you might be able to get some ideas from watching Korean Netflix shows like this one. (Read more)

3. Example

‘청춘시대’는 인기가 많아 ‘청춘시대 2’도만들어졌다.
‘Cheongchunsidae’neun ingiga mana ‘cheongchunsidae 2’domandeureojyeotda.
“Hello, My Twenties was so popular that season 2 was also created.”

4. Vocabulary List

*Click a word below to listen to the Korean pronunciation.

  • 청춘 (cheongchun) — “youth”
  • 시대 (sidae) — “era”
  • 인기 (ingi) — “popular”
  • 많다 (manta) — “a lot”
  • 만들다 (mandeulda) — “to make”

6- Korean Drama: 알함브라 궁전의 추억 (Alhambeura gungjeonui chueok)

1. Basic Information

  • Name: 알함브라 궁전의 추억 (Alhambeura gungjeonui chueok)
    • Translation: Memories of the Alhambra
  • Type: Netflix Original
  • Season: 1
  • Episodes: 16
  • Genres: Romance; Sci-fi
  • Actors: Hyun Bin; Park Shin-hye; Park Hoon

2. Story

Yoo Jin-Woo, CEO of an investment company, travels to Spain to meet the creator of a game, Jung Se-joo, who went missing. When he starts staying at the hostel of the creator’s sister, Jung Hee-joo, he experiences strange incidents. In one of the most fascinating Korean dramas on Netflix, the border between the real world and the AR world begins to blur. (Read more)

3. Example

투자회사 대표와 전직 기타리스트가 스페인에 있는 호스텔에 묵는 동안 일어나는 사건을 다룬다.
Tujahoesa daepyowa jeonjik gitariseuteuga seupeine inneun hoseutere mungneun dongan ireonaneun sageoneul darunda.
“An investment company representative and a former guitarist deal with events happening while staying at a hostel in Spain.”

4. Vocabulary List

*Click a word below to listen to the Korean pronunciation.

  • 투자회사 (tujahoesa) — “an investment company”
  • 대표 (daepyo) — “representative”
  • 전직 (jeonjik) — “former”
  • 묵다 (mukda) — “to stay”
  • 사건 (sageon) — “case”

7- Korean Drama: 맨도롱 또똣 (Maendorong Ttottot)

1. Basic Information

2. Example

맨도롱 또똣은 제주어로 ‘음식이 먹기 좋을 만큼 따뜻하다’라는 뜻을 가지고 있다.
Maendorong ttottoseun jejueoro ‘eumsigi meokgi joeul mankeum ttatteuthada’raneun tteuseul gajigo itda.
“Maendorong Ttottot comes from the Jeju dialect, which means ‘The food is warm enough to eat.’”

3. Vocabulary List

*Click a word below to listen to the Korean pronunciation.

  • 제주어 (jejueo) — “Jeju dialect”
  • 음식 (eumsik) — “food”
  • 좋다 (jota) — “good; better; nice”
  • 만큼 (mankeum) — “as much as”
  • 따뜻하다 (ttatteuthada) — “warm”

8- Korean Drama: 슬기로운 감빵생활 (Seulgirowoon Gambbangsaenghwa)

1. Basic Information

  • Name: 슬기로운 감빵생활 (seulgirowoon Gambbangsaenghwa)
    • Translation: Prison Playbook (Literal translation: Wise Prison Life)
  • Type: Netflix Original
  • Season: 1
  • Episodes: 16
  • Genres: Drama
  • Actors: Park Hae Soo; Jung Kyung-ho; Jung Hae-in

2. Story

This Korean drama on Netflix now depicts the everyday life of the prisoners and staff at a prison. Many famous and well-respected actors were cast in this drama, making it worth watching if you’re interested in a well-acted prison-related Korean drama. (Read More)

3. Example

이 드라마는 야구선수 김제혁의 교도소 안에서 일어나는 이야기를 다룬다.
I deuramaneun yaguseonsu gimjehyeogui gyodoso aneseo ireonaneun iyagireul darunda.
“This drama deals with the story that takes place by a famous baseball player, Kim Jye-huk, who ends up in jail.”

4. Vocabulary List

*Click a word below to listen to the Korean pronunciation.

  • 야구선수 (yaguseonsu) — “baseball player”
  • 교도소 (gyodoso) — “jail/prison”
  • (an) — “inside”
  • 일어나다 (ireonada) — “takes place”
  • 다루다 (daruda) — “to deal with”

9- Korean Drama: 사의 찬미 (Saui Chanmi)

1. Basic Information

  • Name: 사의 찬미 (saui chanmi)
    • Translation: Hymn of Death
  • Type: Netflix Original
  • Season: 1
  • Episodes: 16
  • Genres: Drama; Romance
  • Actors: Lee Jong-suk; Shin Hye-sun

2. Story

This Korean drama depicts the romance story between a soprano (Yun-Sim-deok) and a playwright (Kim Woo-jin). But remember to have your handkerchief ready, because it’s not just any other romance story with a happy ending.

3. Example

이 이야기는 소프라노 윤심덕과 극작가인 김우진의 비극적인 사랑 이야기이다.
I iyagineun sopeurano yunsimdeokgwa geukjakgain gimujinui bigeukjeogin sarang iyagiida.
“This story is a tragic love story of soprano Yoon Jin-duk and playwright Kim Woo-jin.”

4. Vocabulary List

*Click a word below to listen to the Korean pronunciation.

  • 소프라노 (sopeurano) — “soprano”
  • 작가 (geukjakga) — “playwright”
  • 비극적인 (bigeukjeogin) — “tragedy”
  • 사랑 (sarang) — “love”
  • 이야기 (iyagi) — “story”

10- Korean Drama: 비밀의 숲 (Bimileui Sup)

1. Basic Information

2. Story

A cold-hearted prosecutor teams up with a passionate and warm-hearted detective to uncover and find the truth behind a serial killer case. Check here for more information.

3. Example

성격이 전혀 다른 검사와 검찰이 함께 살인사건과 숨겨진 진실을 파헤치는 드라마이다.
Seonggyeogi jeonhyeo dareun geomsawa geomchari hamkke sarinsageongwa sumgyeojin jinsireul pahechineun deuramaida.
“It is a drama in which a prosecutor and a detective, who are totally different in character, delve into murder cases and unearth hidden truths.”

4. Vocabulary List

*Click a word below to listen to the Korean pronunciation.

  • 성격 (seonggyeok) — “character”
  • 검사 (geomsa) — “prosecutor”
  • 검찰 (geomchal) — “detective”
  • 살인사건 (sarinsageon) — “murder case”
  • 진실 (jinsil) — “truth”

4. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean

I hope you enjoyed reading our article about Korean Netflix recommendations, and thank you for staying to the end! Keep up the good work to speak Korean like a native in no time!

For those who are interested in Korean movies, KoreanClass101 has a vocabulary list that introduces the top ten Korean movies. Check out “What are the Top 10 Korean Movies?” and choose a movie to watch on Friday night!

We also have techniques for you to improve your Korean skills. Do you want to be able to speak like native speakers? No worries! Check out 말하기 능력을 향상시키는 방법 (malhagi neungnyeogeul hyangsangsikineun bangbeop) or “How to Improve Your Speaking Skills.

What about your listening skills? You can’t continue conversing with the locals if you have difficulty understanding them. Check out the page 듣기 능력을 향상시키는 방법 (deutgi neungnyeogeul hyangsangsikineun bangbeop) or “How to Improve Your Listening Skills,” where we introduce many tips and techniques for Korean learners to improve their listening skills.

Apart from these useful techniques on improving your Korean skills, KoreanClass101 has many lessons available for free. Check out “15 Ways to Study Korean for FREE with KoreanClass101” and choose the best methods for you to practice Korean with us!

Now for the fun part! Which of these Korean Netflix shows do you want to watch first and why? Let us know in the comments and get the snacks ready!

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Korean Conjunctions List: Essential Korean Conjunctions

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Conjunctions are an important part of every language. They allow us to connect our thoughts, make comparisons, and string together sentences. In this Korean conjunctions list, I’ll explain to you the basic conjunctions with plenty of examples so you can make the most out of the article and improve your Korean skills.

Ready to learn Korean conjunctions? Let’s get started!

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Table of Contents

  1. What is a Conjunction?
  2. Conjunctions to Correlate Similar Thoughts
  3. Conjunctions to Express Condition
  4. Conjunctions to Express Cause
  5. Conjunctions to Express Opposition
  6. Conjunctions to Express Contrasts with the Statement in the Main Clause
  7. Conjunctions to Express Preference
  8. Conjunctions to Express Reasons
  9. Conjunctions to Add Additional Information
  10. More Conjunctions
  11. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You Learn Korean

1. What is a Conjunction?

Sentence Patterns

According to the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of a conjunction is a word that’s used to connect phrases, clauses, and sentences. Conjunctions in Korean work similarly to how they work in any other language, and learning Korean conjunctions and how to use each one properly will certainly boost your confidence in speaking, writing, and reading.

There are many Korean conjunctions, and if you struggle to understand all of the different Korean conjunctions, you’re not alone. Many Korean learners—even native speakers—struggle to use Korean conjunctions appropriately. In our Korean conjunctions list and guide, we’re going to focus on fundamental connecting words in Korean so as not to overwhelm you.

By the end of this article, you should have a better idea about the basic Korean conjunction rules, and an expanded vocabulary of Korean language conjunctions!

2. Conjunctions to Correlate Similar Thoughts

Improve Listening

1- 그리고 (geurigo) – “and”

  • 그리고 (geurigo) is used to link two different words or phrases together.
  • Apply this conjunction when you want to correlate two words.

Example:

스테이크 그리고 레드와인 주세요.
Seuteikeu geurigo redeuwain juseyo.
“I would like a steak and a glass of red wine, please.”

난 한국 가면 떡볶이, 순대 그리고 김밥 먹을꺼야.
Nan hanguk gamyeon tteokbokki, sundae geurigo gimbap meogeulkkeoya.
“I’m going to eat tteokbokki, sundae, and gimbap when I go to Korea.”

2- ~랑 (~rang) – “and”

  • ~랑 (~rang) means the same thing as 그리고 (geurigo).
  • The difference is that this conjunction is attached after a noun stem, is strictly colloquial, and isn’t used in official documents.
    • 김치
      gimchirang bap
      “Kimchi and rice”
    • 김밥 순대
      gimbabirang Sundae
      “Kimbap and Sundae”
  • Since ~랑 (~rang) has the same value as geurigo, they can replace each other without generating any changes in the meaning.

Example:

스테이크 레드와인 주세요.
Seuteikeurang redeuwain juseyo.
“I would like a steak and a glass of red wine, please.”

난 한국 가면 떡볶이, 순대랑 김밥 먹을꺼야.
Nan hanguk gamyeon tteokbokkirang, sundaerang gimbap meogeulkkeoya.
“I’m going to eat tteokbokki, sundae, and gimbap when I go to Korea.”

3- ~고 (go) – “and”

  • ~ (go) means the same thing as rang and geurigo.
  • This conjunction is always attached after a verb stem and usually means “I will do this AND THEN I will do this.”
  • A synonym of ~ 고 (go) is 그리고 나서 (geurigo naseo) which means “then.”

Example:

내일 아침에 요가하* 저녁에는 복싱할거야.
Naeil achime yogahago jeonyeogeneun boksinghalgeoya.
“I am going to do yoga in the morning and boxing in the evening tomorrow.”

*하다 (hada) meaning “to do” and 고 (go) meaning “and,” become 하고 (hago), meaning “After I do…”

내일은 밥먹 바로 집으로 갈거야.
Naeireun bammeokgo baro jibeuro galgeoya.
“I am going to eat and (then) go home.”

* 먹다 (meokda) meaning “to eat” and 고 (go) meaning “and” become 먹고 (meokgo), meaning “After I eat.”

4- ~와/과 (~wa/gwa)

  • ~ (~wa) is usually attached to noun stems.
  • ~ (~gwa) is usually attached to verb stems and after nouns that end with consonants.

Example:

나는 친구가 될 수 없어.
Neowa naneun chinguga doel su eopseo.
“You and I can’t be friends.”

수영하는 것 축구 하는 것 중에 어떤 스포츠를 더 좋아하세요?
Suyeonghaneun geotgwa chukgu haneun geot junge eotteon seupocheureul deo joahaseyo?
“Between swimming and playing soccer, which do you prefer?”

A List of Vocabulary Words

3. Conjunctions to Express Condition

1- 만약 (manyak) – “if”

  • To talk about hypothetical situations, we often use 만약 (manyak), with the direct translation being “if” in English.
  • Note that 만약에 (manyage) is more commonly used in spoken language (conversation).

Example:

만약(에) 비가 온다면 난 그냥 집에 있을래.
Manyak(e) biga ondamyeon nan geunyang jibe isseullae.
“If it rains, I’m just going to stay at home.”

만약에 네가 시험에 불합격한다면 어떻게할거야?
Manyage nega siheome bulhapgyeokandamyeon eotteokehalgeoya?
“If you fail the exam, what are you going to do?”

2- 한다면 (handamyeon) – “if”

  • Although 만약 (manyak) and 한다면 (handamyeon) have the same meaning in English, these two conjunctions are used in different situations.
  • To differentiate these two conjunctions:
    • 만약 (manyak) focuses on hypothetical situations.
    • 한다면 (handamyeon) focuses more on actions.

Example:

그 회사가 망한다면 월급을 받지 못할거야.
Geu hoesaga manghandamyeon wolgeubeul batji mothalgeoya.
“If the company goes bankrupt, you will not receive the income anymore.”

네가 계속 그렇게 욕한다면 앞으로 너랑 친구되고 싶지 않아.
Nega gyesok geureoke yokandamyeon apeuro neorang chingudoego sipji ana.
“If you continue to swear like this, I don’t want to be friends with you.”

4. Conjunctions to Express Cause

Improve Listening Part 2

1- 그래서 (geuraeseo) – “so,” “therefore”

  • When this conjunction is used, the first sentence is usually a statement or fact, followed by the cause or evidence. 그래서 (geuraeseo) connects these two sentences together.

Example:

어제 많이 아팠어요. 그래서 학교에 못 갔어요.
Eoje mani apasseoyo. geuraeseo hakgyoe mot gasseoyo.
“I was really sick yesterday. Therefore I could not go to school.”

어제는 눈이 왔다. 그래서 하루 종일 집에 있었다.
Eojeneun nuni watda. geuraeseo haru jongil jibe isseotda.
“It rained yesterday, so I stayed home all day.”

2- 그렇기 때문에 (~gi ttaemune) – “therefore”

  • The second conjunction to express cause is ~기 때문에 (~gi ttaemune) which means “because of that” or “therefore” in English.

Example:

저녁을 일찍 먹었기 때문에, 배고프지 않아.
Jeonyeogeul iljjik meogeotgi ttaemune, baegopeuji ana.
“Because I had an early dinner, I am not hungry.”

사람들이 너무 많았기 때문에 빨리 집으로 갔다.
Saramdeuri neomu manatgi ttaemune ppalli jibeuro gatda.
“Because there were so many people, I went home.”

3- 그러므로 (geureomeuro) – “therefore”

  • This conjunction is rarely used in spoken language, but is often used in literature.
  • On the other hand, 그렇기 때문에 (~gi ttaemune), which we saw above, is commonly used in spoken language.

Example:

나는 생각한다. 그러므로 나는 존재한다.
Naneun saenggakanda. Geureomeuro naneun jonjaehanda.
“I think, therefore I am.”

The sentence below has the same meaning as above:

나는 생각한다. 그렇기 때문에 나는 존재한다.
naneun saenggakanda. geureoki ttaemune naneun jonjaehanda.
“I think, therefore I am.”

4- 따라서 (ttaraseo) – “so,” “therefore”

  • This conjunction means the same thing as 그러므로 (geureomeuro) and 그렇기 때문에 (~gi ttaemune).
  • 따라서 (ttaraseo) sounds a bit formal, therefore it’s not commonly used in spoken language.

Example:

물건의 가격이 많이 올랐다. 따라서 사람들이 물건을 사지 않을 것이다.
Mulgeonui gagyeogi mani ollatda. ttaraseo saramdeuri mulgeoneul saji aneul geosida.
“The price of goods has increased. Therefore, people will not buy them.”

지구온난화는 점점 더 심해지고 있다. 따라서 공해는 더욱더 심해질 것이다.
Jiguonnanhwaneun jeomjeom deo simhaejigo itda. Ttaraseo gonghaeneun deoukdeo simhaejil geosida.
“Global warming is getting worse and worse, thus increasing pollution.”

A Man Expressing His Opinions to His Colleagues

5. Conjunctions to Express Opposition

The conjunctions mentioned below all indicate that the following sentence will be in contrast to the previous one. Let’s have a look each Korean conjunction.

1- 하지만 (hajiman) – “but”

  • 하지만 (hajiman) means “but” or “however” in English.
  • This conjunction is used at the beginning of a sentence to combine two opposing clauses.
  • You can also shorten 하지만 (hajiman) and combine two clauses with ~지만 (~jiman).

Example:

우리 언니는 노란색을 좋아해. 하지만 언니의 남자친구는 노랑색을 싫어해.
Uri eonnineun noransaegeul joahae. Hajiman eonniui namjachinguneun norangsaegeul sileohae.
“My sister likes yellow. But her boyfriend doesn’t like yellow.”

The sentence above has the same meaning as the sentence below:

=우리 언니는 노랑색을 좋아하지만 언니의 남자친구는 노랑색을 싫어해.
Uri eonnineun norangsaegeul joahajiman eonniui namjachinguneun norangsaegeul sileohae.

우리 집에 언제든지 놀러와돼. 하지만 오기전에 전화해줘.
Uri jibe eonjedeunji nolleowadwae. Hajiman ogijeone jeonhwahaejwo.
“You can always come to my house. But call me before (you plan to come).”

The sentence above has the same meaning as the sentence below:

=우리 집에 언제든지 놀러와도 되지만 오기 전에 전화해줘.
Uri jibe eonjedeunji nolleowado doejiman ogi jeone jeonhwahaejwo.

2- 그렇지만 (geureochiman) – “but,” “however”

  • When this conjunction is used, the sentence structure usually goes like this: [Admitting what a speaker said] however [say conflicting claims.]

Let’s look at an example. Your friend Sujin likes Jinsu a lot, and she believes that Jinsu likes her too. But you know that it’s not true because you’ve seen that Jinsu is dating someone else. In this situation, you can say:

수진이는 진수를 좋아해. 그렇지만 진수는 수진이를 좋아하지 않아.
Sujinineun jinsureul joahae. Geureochiman jinsuneun sujinireul joahaji ana.
“Sujin likes Jinsu. However, Jinsu does not like Sujin.”

Let’s have a look at another example:

네 말도 일리는 있어. 그렇지만 다른 사람들의 의견도 들어봐야지.
Ne maldo illineun isseo. Geureochiman dareun saramdeurui uigyeondo deureobwayaji.
“I agree with your points, but I need to listen to what other people say too.”

3- 그러나 (gureona) – “however”

  • 그러나 (gureona) has the same value as the other conjunctions mentioned above.
  • This conjunction is only used in formal settings.

Example:

6월이 되어 날씨가 따뜻해졌다. 그러나 최근에는 매일 비가 오고 있다.
Yuwori doeeo nalssiga ttatteuthaejyeotda. Geureona choegeuneneun maeil biga ogo itda.
“As June began, the weather has become warmer. However, it has been raining everyday.”

4- 그런데 (geureonde) / 근데 (geunde) – “but,” “by the way”

  • This conjunction is often used to change the topic.
  • You’ll often hear 근데 (geunde) when conversing with locals. 근데 (geunde) is a shortened word for 그런데 (geureonde).

Example:

그런데 어디서 밥 먹을까?
Geureonde eodiseo bap meogeulkka?
“By the way, where should we eat?”

The sentence above has the same meaning as the sentence below:

=근데 어디서 밥 먹을까?
Geunde eodiseo bap meogeulkka?

그 친구 알아. 그런데 이름을 모르겠네.
Geu chingu ara. Geureonde ireumeul moreugenne.
“I know her, but I forgot her name.”

The sentence above has the same meaning as the sentence below:

= 그 친구 알아. 근데 이름을 모르겠네.
Geu chingu ara. Geunde ireumeul moreugenne.

우와 이 가방 엄청 이쁘다. 그런데 이거 얼마예요?
Uwa i gabang eomcheong ippeuda. Geureonde igeo eolmayeyo?
“Wow, this bag is really pretty. By the way, how much is this?”

The sentence above has the same meaning as the sentence below:

= 우와 이 가방 엄청 이쁘다. 근데 이거 얼마예요?
Uwa i gabang eomcheong ippeuda. Geunde igeo eolmayeyo?

6. Conjunctions to Express Contrasts with the Statement in the Main Clause

1- 그래도 (geuraedo) – “regardless,” “still”

  • The common translation of 그래도 (geuraedo) is “regardless” or “still.”
  • When talking about a situation, use 그래도 (geuraedo) to say “regardless of the situation.”
    • 철수의 배가 아프기 시작했다. (Cheolsuui baega apeugi sijakaetda.) — “Cheolsu started to have stomach cramps.” [situation]
    • 그래도 (geuraedo) [regardless of what happened to him]
    • 나는 밥을 먹었다. (naneun babeul meogeotda) — “He continued eating rice.” [continued what he was doing]

More examples:

이상하게 들릴지 모르지만 그래도 그건 사실이야.
Isanghage deullilji moreujiman geuraedo geugeon sasiriya.
“Strange as it may sound, it’s still true.”

내일 비가 온다는데, 그래도 우리 낚시하러 갈꺼지?
Naeil biga ondaneunde, geuraedo uri naksihareo galkkeoji?
“It’s going to rain tomorrow, but we are still going tomorrow, right?”

2- 그럼에도 불구하고 (geureomedo bulguhago) – “nevertheless,” “although”

  • Use this conjunction when you say something that contrasts with what has just been said/happened.
  • The sentence structure would be: [INCIDENT] +그럼에도 불구하고 (geureomedo bulguhago) + [UNEXPECTED RESULT].

Example:

나를 따라오지 말라고 했는데 그럼에도 불구하고 그 남자는 나를 따라왔다.
Nareul ttaraoji mallago haenneunde geureomedo bulguhago geu namjaneun nareul ttarawatda.
“I told him a couple of times not to follow me, nevertheless he did.”

철수는 많이 아팠다. 그럼에도 불구하고 그는 학교로 갔다.
Cheolsuneun mani apatda. Geureomedo bulguhago geuneun hakgyoro gatda.
“Cheolsu was very sick, yet he went to school.”

A Red Apple That Is Placed Between Two Green Apples, Is Being Grabbed By A Hand

7. Conjunctions to Express Preference

1- 이나 (ina) – “or”

  • 이나 (ina) is attached only to noun stems.
  • The sentence structure should be: [NOUN] +이나 (ina) + [NOUN].
  • When someone uses this conjunction in a sentence, this indicates that the person has not decided which noun will be acted upon.

Example:

저는 초콜릿 빵이나 비빔밥을 먹고 싶어요.*
Jeoneun chokollit ppangina bibimbabeul meokgo sipeoyo.
“I want to eat either a chocolate bread or bibimbap.”

*He/she has not decided if he/she wants to eat bread or bibimbap.

대학교에서 심리학이나 패션 과를 공부하고 싶어요.
Daehakgyoeseo simnihagina paesyeon gwareul gongbuhago sipeoyo.
“I want to study either psychology or fashion design at university.”

2- 아니면 (animyeon) – “or”

  • 아니면 (animyeon) means the same thing as 이나 (ina).
  • The rule is that this conjunction is used to link two sentences.
  • The sentence structure should be: [SENTENCE] + 아니면 (animyeon) + [SENTENCE].
  • Moreover, it indicates that the speaker has not decided which action verbs will be acted upon.

Example:

아침에 복싱을 하는 게 좋을까 아니면 요가를 하는 게 좋을까?
Achime boksingeul haneun ge joeulkka animyeon yogareul haneun ge joeulkka?
“Should I do boxing or yoga in the morning?”

내일 인사동로 갈래 아니면 동대문 시장 갈래?
Naeil Insadongeuro gallae animyeon dongdaemun sijang gallae?
“Would you rather go to the Insadong or Dongdaemun market?”

3- 거나 (geona) – “or”

  • 거나 (geona) is used to link descriptive and action verbs and adverbs.

Example:

부모님 앞에서 담배를 피우거나 술을 마시면 안된다.
Bumonim apeseo dambaereul piugeona sureul masimyeon andoenda.
“You can’t smoke a cigarette or drink alcohol in front of your parents.”

아침에 복싱하거나 요가하거나 너 마음대로 해.
Achime boksinghageona yoga hageona ne maeumdaero hae.
“It’s up to you whether you do boxing or yoga in the morning. Do what you want.”

4- 또는 (ttoneun) – “or”

  • This conjunction is a formal way to say or express your preference.
  • You can replace 또는 (ttoneun) with 이나 (ina) or 아니면 (animyeon) in sentences. It will sound less formal, but the meaning does not change.

Example:

월요일 또는 수요일
Wollyoil ttoneun suyoil
“Monday or Wednesday.”

The sentences below have a different conjunction but mean the same thing:

= 월요일이나 수요일
Wollyoirina suyoil

= 월요일 아니면 수요일
Wollyoil animyeon suyoil

가야금 또는 장구 둘 중 하나를 선택하시오.
Gayageum ttoneun janggu dul jung hanareul seontaekasio.
“Choose either gayageum or jangu.”

8. Conjunctions to Express Reasons

1- 때문에 (ttaemune) – “Because of…”

  • 때문에 (ttaemune) means “because of…” and this conjunction is attached to nouns.
  • Add a noun before the conjunction, then the rest of the clause will indicate events that happened as a result of the noun preceding 때문에 (ttaemune).

Example:

때문에 공부할 시간이 없어.
Il ttaemune gongbuhal sigani eopseo.
“Because of work, I don’t have time to study.”

대학교 등록금 때문에 매일 아르바이트 하고 있어요.
Daehakgyo deungnokgeum ttaemune maeil areubaiteu hago isseoyo.
“Because of the tuition fee, I am working part-time everyday.”

2- 왜냐하면 (waenyahamyeon) – “because…”

  • 왜냐하면 (waenyahamyeon) means “because.”
  • When using this conjunction in sentences, the grammatical order should be: [result] + 왜냐하면 (waenyahamyeon) + [reason].
  • You can also say 왜냐면 (waenyamyeon), which is a shortened version of 왜냐하면 (waenyahamyeon), and is used in spoken language.

Example:

어제 잠을 잘 수가 없었어요. 왜냐하면 이웃이 너무 시끄러웠거든요.
Eoje jameul jal suga eopseosseoyo. Waenyahamyeon iusi neomu sikkeureowotgeodeunyo.
“I could not sleep last night because the neighbor was really noisy.”

잠을 잘 수가 없어. 왜냐하면 방금 커피를 마셨거든.
Jameul jal suga eopseo. Waenyahamyeon banggeum keopireul masyeotgeodeun.
“I can’t sleep because I just drank coffee.”

A Man Is Expressing His Opinion with a Mic and a Paper in Front of Him

9. Conjunctions to Add Additional Information

1- 게다가 (gedaga) – “moreover,” “in addition”

  • The meaning of 게다가 (gedaga) is exactly the same as the conjunction words 덧붙이자면 (deotbuchijamyeon) and 뿐만 아니라 (ppunman anira).
  • You can also say 그리고 instead of 게다가. The meaning does not change.
  • If you’ve said 그리고 (geurigo) many times (in writing or speech), try using 게다가 (gedaga).

Example:

게다가 웃으면 기분이 좋아진다.
Gedaga useumyeon gibuni joajinda.
“Moreover, when you laugh, you feel better.”

날씨가 너무 추웠고 게다가 눈까지 내렸다.
Nalssiga neomu chuwotgo gedaga nunkkaji naeryeotda.
“The weather was extremely cold; moreover, it snowed.”

2- 덧붙이자면 (deotbuchijamyeon) – “additionally,” “in addition,” “plus”

  • 덧붙이자면 (deotbuchijamyeon) means the same thing as 게다가 (gedaga).
  • A common phrase that uses this conjunction is 덧붙여 말하자면… (deotbutyeo malhajamyeon…), meaning “making an additional remark.”

Example:

정국오빠는 너무 잘 생겼어요. 덧붙이자면 노래도 잘해요.
Jeonggugoppaneun neomu jal saenggyeosseoyo. Deotbuchijamyeon noraedo jalhaeyo.
“Jungkook is so handsome. Plus, he’s a great singer.”

판타지 소설을 찾고 있다면 이 책을 추천할게요.
덧붙이자면 이 책은 베스트셀러이기도 해요.

Pantaji soseoreul chatgo itdamyeon i chaegeul chucheonhalgeyo.
Deotbuchijamyeon i chaegeun beseuteuselleoigido haeyo.

“If you’re looking for a fantasy novel, I recommend this book.
In addition, this is also one of the best sellers.”

3- 뿐만 아니라 (ppunman anira) – “besides,” “also”

  • When 뿐만 아니라 (ppunman anira) is attached to the end of a clause, it creates the meaning of “not only A, but also B.”

Example:

한국 드라마는 한국에서 뿐만 아니라 해외에서도 매우 인기가 있다.
Hanguk deuramaneun hangugeseo ppunman anira haeoeeseodo maeu ingiga itda.
“Korean dramas are not only popular in Korea, but also overseas.”

이곳에서 옥수수 뿐만 아니라 고구마도 살 수 있어요.
Iigoseseo oksusu ppunman anira gogumado sal su isseoyo.
“You can buy not only corn, but sweet potatoes too.”

10. More Conjunctions

Here are four additional conjunctions for you to learn!

1- 반면에 (banmyeone) – “on the other hand,” “while”

  • 반면에 (banmyeone) comes between two sentences.
  • Usually, the first sentence and the second sentence contrast each other.

Examples:

김치를 좋아하는 사람도 있지만, 반면에 김치를 싫어하는 사람도 있다.
Kimchireul joahaneun saramdo itjiman, banmyeone gimchireul sileohaneun saramdo itda.
“There are some people who like Kimchi, while others don’t.”

발렌타인 데이에 초콜릿을 많이 받는 사람도 있지만,
반면에 한개도 받지 못하는 사람도 있다.

Ballentain deie chokolliseul mani banneun saramdo itjiman,
banmyeone hangaedo batji mothaneun saramdo itda.

“There are some people who receive many chocolates on Valentine’s Day.
On the other hand, there are others who get nothing.”

2- 결국 (gyeolguk) – “eventually,” “ultimately”

  • You can also say 결국에는 (gyeolgugeneun), which means the same thing as 결국 (gyeolguk).

Example:

결국 우리가 이겼다.
Gyeolguk uriga igyeotda.
“Finally, we won the game.”

결국 원국이는 지민이 대신에 호연이를 선택했다.
Gyeolguk Wongugineun Jimini daesine Hoyeonireul seontaekaetda.
“At close of play, Wonkuk chose Hohyun instead of Jimin.”

3- 마지막으로 (majimageuro) – “lastly”

  • 마지막으로 (majimageuro) means “for the last time,” “lastly,” and “last time.”

Example:

한국을 마지막으로 가본 지가 10년이나 되었어요.
Hangugeul majimageuro gabon jiga 10nyeonina doeeosseoyo.
“It has been ten years since I visited Korea.”

마지막으로 몇 마디만 더 하겠습니다.
Majimageuro myeot madiman deo hagetseumnida.
“I would like to add a few words in conclusion.”

4- 마찬가지로 (machangajiro) – “similarly,” “likewise”

  • 마찬가지로 (machangajiro) means “like,” or “likewise” in English.
  • Also, this conjunction links two clauses that have a similar meaning.

Example:

동물도 사람과 마찬가지로 감정을 가지고 있다.
Dongmuldo saramgwa machangajiro gamjeongeul gajigo itda.
“Like humans, animals have feelings.”

개도 사람과 마찬가지로 잡식 동물이다.
Gaedo saramgwa machangajiro japsik dongmurida.
“Like humans, dogs are omnivores.”

Man Passing His Korean Test

11. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You Learn Korean

We hope you enjoyed learning about Korean conjunctions with us! In Korean vocabulary, conjunctions are essential little words and phrases that you really should know. Further, for impeccable Korean grammar, conjunctions should be one of your top learning priorities.

Are there any conjunctions you’re still struggling with, or any you still want to know? Let us know in the comments!

It’s easy to be overwhelmed when you have to memorize so many conjunctions. But don’t worry, learning a language isn’t easy and it takes time. If you’re still not sure when to use these conjunctions, you’re more than welcome to leave a post on our forum. There are many native speakers and Korean learners, like you, who will be happy to help you learn Korean.

For further learning, we have a lesson called “Korean Conjunctions: Add Seaweed, and Meat, and Garlic!” where you can practice learning Korean conjunctions as well as vocabulary. In addition, check out our vocabulary list called “Must-Know Adverbs and Phrases for Connecting Thoughts,” where we listed twenty Korean conjunctions with pronunciation audios and example sentences.

Happy learning!

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Learn Korean Dates: Days of the Week in Korean and More

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Do you know how to say Korean dates (months, weeks, days, and years)? In this blog, we’re going to introduce not only days of the week in Korean, but also hours, seconds, and much more important vocabulary for learning Korean dates and times. Before we take a closer look at date and time in Korean, let’s look at the Korean dates format.

Table of Contents

  1. How are Dates Usually Written and Read in Korean?
  2. How to Say the Years in Korean
  3. Korean Dates: Months
  4. How to Say Korean Calendar Dates
  5. Saying the Days of the Week in Korean
  6. How to Say the Hours in Korean
  7. How to Say the Minutes in Korean
  8. How to Say the Seconds in Korean
  9. How to Say Other Time-related Words
  10. Interesting Korean Celebration Days
  11. Let’s Practice
  12. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean

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1. How are Dates Usually Written and Read in Korean?

In Korea, the order of the date is written: 1.) Year, 2.) Month, and 3.) Day. We’ll explain this in more detail later, but for now, here’s how you need to write dates in Korean: [“year”]년 (nyeon), [“month”]월 (wol), [“day”]일 (il).

For example, let’s say that today is the 26th of January, 2019. In Korean, it’s written as 2019년 1월 26일 (icheonsipgunyeon irwol isibyugil), or “2019, January 26th.” If this order is the same in your country, then it shouldn’t be too difficult for you. But if the order is different in your country, then it can be confusing sometimes.

This is especially important to keep in mind when you purchase a product that has an expiration date written on the package. Sometimes the first two numbers of the year aren’t included in the expiration date either (e.g. “90” instead of “1990”), so don’t get confused about the date. For example, when you see an expiration date of 20/09/21, it doesn’t mean “20th of September, 2021”; it’s “September 21th, 2020.”

Now, let’s learn more important information about dates in South Korea.

Street Signs

2. How to Say the Years in Korean

If you’re not familiar with numbers in Korean, it’s a good idea to first become familiar with the simpler numbers. Once you have a good understanding of Korean numbers, dates will become a lot simpler.

As you may already know, there are two ways to count numbers in Korea: Sino Korean and Native Korean. To count the years, you’ll only need Sino Korean numbers.

For example, if you were born in 1985:

  • 1000, read as 천 (cheon), meaning “one-thousand”
  • 900, read as 구백 (gubaek), meaning “nine-hundred”
  • 80, read as 팔십 (palsib), meaning “eighty”
  • 5, read as 오 (o), meaning “five”

All together, it becomes 천구백팔십오 (cheongubaekpalsibo), meaning “one thousand nine hundred eighty five.”

To say “the year,” you need to say 년 (nyeon). So to say, “The year of 1985,” it becomes 천구백팔십오년 (cheongubaekpalsibonyeon).

In Korea, there’s a number of ways to ask which year someone was born in:

  1. 몇년생이에요?
    Myeonnyeonsaengieyo?
    “Which year were you born in?”
  2. 몇년도에 태어났어요?
    Myeonnyeondoe taeeonasseoyo?
    “Which year were you born in?”
  3. 몇살이에요?
    Myeotsarieyo?
    Technically, it means “How old are you?” but you can answer by stating the year, too.

From 2002 to 2019

Korean Romanization Translation
2002년 (이천이년) 2002nyeon (icheoninyeon) “The year 2002”
2003년 (이천삼년) 2003nyeon (icheonsamnyeon) “The year 2003”
2004년 (이천사년) 2004nyeon (icheonsanyeon) “The year 2004”
2005년 (이천오년) 2005nyeon (icheononyeon) “The year 2005”
2006년 (이천십육년) 2006nyeon (icheonsibyungnyeon) “The year 2006”
2007년 (이천칠년) 2007nyeon (icheonchillyeon) “The year 2007”
2008년 (이천팔년) 2008nyeon (icheonpallyeon) “The year 2008”
2009년 (이천구년) 2009nyeon (icheongunyeon) “The year 2009”
2010년 (이천십년) 2010nyeon (icheonsimnyeon) “The year 2010”
2011년 (이천십일년) 2011nyeon (icheonsibillyeon) “The year 2011”
2012년 (이천십이년) 2012nyeon (icheonsibinyeon) “The year 2012”
2013년 (이천십삼년) 2013nyeon (icheonsipsamnyeon) “The year 2013”
2014년 (이천십사년) 2014nyeon (icheonsipsanyeon) “The year 2014”
2015년 (이천십오년) 2015nyeon (icheonsibonyeon) “The year 2015”
2016년 (이천십육년) 2016nyeon (icheonsibyungnyeon) “The year 2016”
2017년 (이천십칠년) 2017nyeon (icheonsipchillyeon) “The year 2017”
2018년 (이천십팔년) 2018nyeon (icheonsip-pallyeon) “The year 2018”
2019년 (이천십구년) 2019nyeon (icheonsipgunyeon) “The year 2019”

Examples:

  • A: 너 몇년생이야?
    A: Neo myeonnyeonsaengiya?
    A: “Which year were you born in?”

    B: 나? 2010년.
    B: Na? icheonsimnyeon.
    B: “Me? In 2010.”

  • A: BTS의 슈가는 몇년도생이었더라?
    A: Bitieseuui syuganeun myeonnyeondosaengieotdeora?
    A: “What year was Suga from BTS born in?”

    B: 1993년!
    B: Cheongubaekgusipsamnyeon!
    B: “In 1993!”

Quiz:

Are you ready for a quiz? Let’s practice your Korean!

Q1. How do you say “The year of 2001” in Korean?

  1. 이천삼년 (icheonsamnyeon)
  2. 이천오년 (icheononyeon)
  3. 이천일년 (icheonillyeon)
  4. 이천년 (icheonnyeon)

Q2. What does 이천십팔년 mean in English?

  1. “The year of 2019”
  2. “The year of 2018”
  3. “The year of 2010”
  4. “The year of 2009”

Q3. How do you write “the year” in Korean?

  1. 월 (wol)
  2. 일 (il)
  3. 년 (nyeon)
  4. 요일 (yoil)

Answers:

Q1. -> 4
Q2. -> 2
Q3. -> 3

3. Korean Dates: Months

Months

Now we can start learning the days and months in Korean. To say the months is very easy too; just add a number in Korean followed by 월 (wol), which means “month” in the Korean language. For example, to say September: “nine” is 구 (gu) in Korean, followed by 월 (wol), meaning “month.” So it becomes 구월 (guwol), or “September.” Let’s have a look at months in Korean and some examples below:

From January to December

Korean Romanization Translation
1월 (일월) 1wol (irwol) “January”
2월 (이월) 2wol (iwol) “February”
3월 (삼월) 3wol (samwol) “March”
4월 (사월) 4wol (sawol) “April”
5월 (오월) 5wol (owol) “May”
6월 (유월) 6wol (yuwol) “June”
7월 (칠월) 7wol (chirwol) “July”
8월 (팔월) 8wol (parwol) “August”
9월 (구월) 9wol (guwol) “September”
10월 (시월) 10wol (siwol) “October”
11월 (십일월) 11wol (sibirwol) “November”
12월 (십이월) 12wol (sibiwol) “December”

We also have a free online vocabulary list called 한국어로 월에 대해서 말하기 (hangugeoro wore daehaeseo malhagi) or “Talking about Months”, so check it out on our website.

Examples:

  • A: 너 몇월에 태어났어?
    A: Neo myeochwore taeeonasseo?
    A: “Which month were you born?”

    B: 나? 나 10월에 태어났어.
    B: Na? Na 10wore taeeonasseo.
    B: “Me? I was born in October.”

  • A: 부처님 오신날이 언제 였더라?
    A: Bucheonim osinnari eonje yeotdeora?
    A: “Which month was Buddha’s birthday?”

    B: 5월 8일!
    B: Owol paril!
    B: “It’s the 8th of May!”

Quiz:

Are you ready for a quiz? Let’s practice your Korean!

Q1. How do you say “September” in Korean?

  1. 시월 (siwol)
  2. 칠월 (chilwol)
  3. 일월 (ilwol)
  4. 구월 (guwol)

Q2. Which month has Christmas Day?

  1. 십이월 (sipiwol)
  2. 십일월 (sipilwol)
  3. 팔월 (palwol)
  4. 이월 (iwol)

Q3. Which month has Children’s Day in Korea?

  1. 사월 (sawol)
  2. 오월 (owol)
  3. 삼월 (samwol)
  4. 이월 (iwol)

Answers:

Q1 -> 4
Q2 -> 1
Q3 -> 2

A Red Monthly Calendar

3. How to Say Korean Calendar Dates

일 (il) means “one” in Korean, but it also means “day.” To say the days in Korean, use Sino Korean number followed by 일 (il). For example, to answer someone who asks what day Valentine’s Day is on, you can say: 발렌타인데이는 14일이에요 (ballentaindeineun sipsairieyo), meaning “Valentine’s Day is on the 14th.”

Something to remember: “1st” and “2nd” sound very similar in Korean. For this reason, Koreans often ask whether they understood you correctly or not. So if this happens, don’t be discouraged. Your pronunciation is perfect, it’s just how we do things. (We also use the number gestures for better clarity.)

From 1st to 31st

Korean Romanization Translation
1일 (일일) 1il (iril) “1st”
2일 (이일) 2il (iil) “2nd”
3일 (삼일) 3il (samil) “3rd”
4일 (사일) 4il (sail) “4th”
5일 (오일) 5il (o-il) “5th”
6일 (육일) 6il (yugil) “6th
7일 (칠일) 7il (chiril) “7th”
8일 (팔일) 8il (paril) “8th”
9일 (구일) 9il (guil) “9th”
10일 (십일) 10il (sibil) “10th”
11일 (십일일) 11il (sibiril) “11th”
12일 (십이일) 12il (sibiil) “12th”
13일 (십삼일) 13il (sipsamil) “13th”
14일 (십사일) 14il (sipsail) “14th”
15일 (십오일) 15il (siboil) “15th”
16일 (십육일) 16il (sibyugil) “16th”
17일 (십칠일) 17il (sipchiril) “17th”
18일 (십팔일) 18il (sip-paril) “18th”
19일 (십구일) 19il (sipguil) “19th”
20일 (이십일) 20il (isibil) “20th”
21일 (이십일일) 21il (isibiril) “21st”
22일 (이십이일) 22il (isibiil) “22nd”
23일 (이십삼일) 23il (isipsamil) “23rd”
24일 (이십사일) 24il (isipsail) “24th”
25일 (이십오일) 25il (isiboil) “25th”
26일 (이십육일) 26il (isibyugil) “26th”
27일 (이십칠일) 27il (isipchiril) “27th”
28일 (이십팔일) 28il (isip-paril) “28th”
29일 (이십구일) 29il (isipguil) “29th”
30일 (삼십일) 30il (samsibil) “30th”
31일 (삼십일일) 31il (samsibiril) “31st”

Examples:

  • A: 생일이 언제예요?
    A: Saengiri eonjeyeyo?
    A: “When is your birthday?”

    B: 9월 25일이에요.
    B: Guworisiboirieyo.
    B: “It’s the 25th of September.”

  • A: 너 여동생 생일이 언제야?
    A: Neo yeodongsaeng saengiri eonjeya?
    A: “When is your sister’s birthday?”

    B: 2월20일. 근데 너 왜 내 여동생 생일을 알고 싶은데?
    B: Iworisibil. geunde neo wae nae yeodongsaeng saengireul algo sipeunde?
    B: “It’s the 20th of February. Why do you want to know my sister’s birthday?”

Quiz:

Q1. How do you say 이월 십삼일 in Korean?

  1. 2월 13일
  2. 2월 14일
  3. 1월13일
  4. 1월14일

Q2. When is Christmas Day?

  1. 십일월 이십오일
  2. 십이월 이십오일
  3. 십이월 이일
  4. 사월 이십오일

Q3. How do you say 시월 이십일일 in English?

  1. “21st of November”
  2. “21st of April”
  3. “21st of May”
  4. “21st of October”

Answers:

Q1 -> 1
Q2 -> 2
Q3 -> 4

4. Saying the Days of the Week in Korean

Weekdays

요일 (yoil) means “day” in the Korean language. Let’s check out days in the Korean language as shown below!

From Monday to Sunday

Korean Romanization Translation
월요일 wollyoil “Monday”
화요일 hwayoil “Tuesday”
수요일 suyoil “Wednesday”
목요일 mongnyoil “Thursday”
금요일 geumyoil “Friday”
토요일 toyoil “Saturday”
일요일 illyoil “Sunday”

We also have a free online vocabulary list called 요일에 대해 말하기 (yoire daehae malhagi) or “Talking about Days”. Feel free to check it out on KoreanClass101.

Examples:

  • A: 오늘 무슨요일이지?
    A: Oneul museunyoiriji?
    A: “What day is it today?”

    B: 오늘? 화요일이야.
    B: Oneul? hwayoiriya.
    B: “Today? It’s Tuesday.”

  • A: 내일은 금요일이지?
    A: Naeireun geumyoiriji?
    A: “Tomorrow is Friday right?”

    B: 아니, 내일 토요일이야.
    B: Ani, naeil toyoiriya.
    B: “No, it’s Saturday tomorrow.”

Quiz:

Q1. How do you write “day” in Korean?

  1. 요일 (yoil)
  2. 시 (si)
  3. 년 (nyeon)
  4. 월 (wol)

Q2. How do you write “Sunday” in Korean?

  1. 월요일 (wollyoil)
  2. 화요일 (hwayoil)
  3. 금요일 (geumyoil)
  4. 일요일 (illyoil)

Q3. How do you write “Monday” in Korean?

  1. 일요일 (illyoil)
  2. 수요일 (suyoil)
  3. 월요일 (wollyoil)
  4. 목요일 (mongnyoil)

Answers:

Q1 -> 1
Q2 -> 4
Q3 -> 3

A Vintage Clock and a Calendar

5. How to Say the Hours in Korean

In this section, we’ll focus on “hours” (and not “the time” as in “What time is it?”). If you want to learn how to read the clock in Korean, check out our article titled 시간에 대해 말하기 (sigane daehae malhagi) or “Talking about Time.”

“Hours” in Korean is 시간 (sigan). Let’s have a look at the table below for more vocabulary.

Korean Romanization Translation
1시간 (한시간) 1sigan (hansigan) “One hour”
2시간 (두시간) 2sigan (dusigan) “Two hours”
3시간 (세시간) 3sigan (sesigan) “Three hours”
4시간 (네시간) 4sigan (nesigan) “Four hours”
5시간 (다섯시간) 5sigan (daseotsigan) “Five hours”
6시간 (여섯시간) 6sigan (yeoseotsigan) “Six hours”
7시간 (일곱시간) 7sigan (ilgopsigan) “Seven hours”
8시간 (여덟시간) 8sigan (yeodeolsigan) “Eight hours”
9시간 (아홉시간) 9sigan (ahopsigan) “Nine hours”
10시간 (열시간) 10sigan (yeolsigan) “Ten hours”
11시간 (열한시간) 11sigan (yeolhansigan) “Eleven hours”
12시간 (열두시간) 12sigan (yeoldusigan) “Twelve hours”

Examples:

  • A: 비행기가 2시간이나 지연됐어.
    A: Bihaenggiga dusiganina jiyeondwaesseo.
    A: “The plane got delayed for two hours.”

    B: 아 정말? 그럼 2시간 뒤에 픽업하러 갈께.
    B: A jeongmal? Geureom dusigan dwie pigeopareo galkke.
    B: “Oh really? I will come and pick you up after two hours then.”

  • A: 하루 한시간은 꼭 요가를 하려고 해.
    A: Haru hansiganeun kkok yogareul haryeogo hae.
    A: “I am trying to do yoga at least one hour per day.”

    B: 그건 좋은 생각인것 같아. 나는 일주일에 3시간은 꼭 조깅을 하고 있어.
    B: Geugeon joeun saenggagingeot gata. Naneun iljuire sesiganeun kkok jogingeul hago isseo.
    B: “That’s a great idea. I do jogging for three hours per week.”

Quiz:

Q1. How do you write “hour(s)” in Korean?

  1. 시간 (sigan)
  2. 월 (wol)
  3. 일 (il)
  4. 년 (nyeon)

Q2. How do you say “twelve hours” in Korean?

  1. 열시간 (yeolsigan)
  2. 여덟시간 (yeodeolsigan)
  3. 네시간 (nesigan)
  4. 열두시간 (yeoldusigan)

Q3. How do you write “twenty-four hours” in Korean?

  1. 한시간 (hansigan)
  2. 이십사시간 (isipsasigan)
  3. 일곱시간 (ilgopsigan)
  4. 다섯시간 (daseotsigan)

Answers:

Q1 -> 1
Q2 -> 4
Q3 -> 2

6. How to Say the Minutes in Korean

“Minute(s)” is 분 (bun) in Korean. When you want to write “how many minutes” in Korean, it’s 몇분 (myeotbun).

Let’s have a look at a number of examples:

Korean Romanization Translation
5분 (오분) 5bun (obun) “Five minutes”
10분 (십분) 10bun (sipbun) “Ten minutes”
20분 (이십분) 20bun (isipbun) “Twenty minutes”
35분 (삼십오분) 35bun (samsibobun) “Thirty-five minutes”
42분 (사십이분) 42bun (sasibibun) “Forty-two minutes”
51분 (오십일분) 51bun (osibilbun) “Fifty-one minutes”
59분 (오십구분) 59bun (osipgubun) “Fifty-nine minutes”

Examples:

  • A: 몇시에 도착할 것 같아?
    A: Myeotsie dochakal geot gata?
    A: “When do you think you will arrive?”

    B: 10분안에 도착할께.
    B: Sipbunane dochakalkke.
    B: “I will be there in ten minutes.”

  • A: 휴, 캐런은 약속 시간에 맨날 10분 이상 늦더라.
    A: Hyu, kaereoneun yaksok sigane maennal 10bun isang neutdeora.
    A: “Phew, Karen is always late for at least ten minutes.”

    B: 야, 내 친구는 한시간이나 늦을때도 있어.
    B: Ya, nae chinguneun hansiganina neujeulttaedo isseo.
    B: “Hey, my friend sometimes is late for one hour.”

Quiz:

Q1. How do you say “ten minutes” in Korean?

  1. 삼십오분 (samsibobun)
  2. 십분 (sipbun)
  3. 사십이분 (sasibibun)
  4. 오십구분 (osipgubun)

Q2. How do you say “fifty-nine minutes” in Korean?

  1. 오분 (obun)
  2. 십분 (sipbun)
  3. 오십구분 (osipgubun)
  4. 사십이분 (sasibibun)

Q3. How do you say “minute(s)” in Korean?

  1. 년 (nyeon)
  2. 일 (il)
  3. 시간 (sigan)
  4. 분 (bun)

Answers:

Q1. -> 2
Q2. -> 3
Q3. -> 4

7. How to Say the Seconds in Korean

Numbers

“Second” is 초 (cho) in Korean. Let’s have a look at the table below to practice how to say different “second(s)” in Korean.

Korean Romanization Translation
1초 (일초) ilcho “One second”
5초 (오초) ocho “Five seconds”
13초 (십삼초) sipsamcho “Thirteen seconds”
26초 (이십육초) isibyukcho “Twenty-six seconds”
30초 (삼십초) samsipcho “Thirty seconds”
37초 (삼십칠초) samsipchilcho “Thirty-seven seconds”
44초 (사십사초) sasipsacho “Forty-four seconds”
52초 (오십이초) osibicho “Fifty-two seconds”
59초 (오십구초) osipgucho “Fifty-nine seconds”

Examples:

  • A: 1분은 총 몇 초게?
    A: Ilbuneun chong myeot choge?
    A: “How many seconds in one minute?”

    B: 60초!
    B: Yuksipcho!
    B: “Sixty seconds!”

  • A: 10 초안에 이 문제 풀 수 있겠어?
    A: Sip choane i munje pul su itgesseo?
    A: “Can you solve this problem in ten seconds?”

    B:뭐라고? 말도 안돼!
    B: Mworago? Maldo andwae!
    B: “What? That’s nonsense!”

Quiz:

Q1. How do you write “second(s)” in Korean?

  1. 분 (bun)
  2. 년 (nyeon)
  3. 초 (cho)
  4. 일 (il)

Q2. How do you write “one minute” in Korean?

  1. 일초 (ilcho)
  2. 이초 (icho)
  3. 삼초 (samcho)
  4. 사초 (sacho)

Q3. How do you say “sixty seconds” in Korean?

  1. 오십육초 (osibyukcho)
  2. 십오초 (sibocho)
  3. 이십이초 (isibicho)
  4. 육십초 (yuksipcho)

Answers:

Q1. -> 3
Q2. -> 1
Q3. -> 4

8. How to Say Other Time-related Words

Korean Romanization Translation
평일 pyeongil “Weekdays”
주말 jumal “Weekend(s)”
골든위크 goldeunwikeu “Golden Week”
샌드위치 데이* saendeuwichi dei “Sandwich Day”
어제 eoje “Yesterday”
오늘 oneul “Today”
내일 naeil “Tomorrow”
엊그저께 eotgeujeokke “A few days ago”
그저께 geujeokke “The day before yesterday”
내일모레 naeilmore “The day after tomorrow”

Examples:

  • A: BTS 콘서트 언제였지? 갑자기 기억이 안나네.
    A: Bitieseu konseoteu eonjeyeotji? Gapjagi gieogi annane.
    A: “When was the BTS concert? I can’t remember suddenly.”

    B: 잠깐만… 8월8일이니깐… 어머, 내일모레네!
    B: Jamkkanman… parwolparirinikkan… eomeo, naeilmorene!
    B: “Hold on… It’s on the 8th of August…oh my goodness, it’s in two days!”

  • A: 나 엊그저께 친구 결혼식 갔다 왔는데, 둘이 너무 행복해 보였어.
    A: Na eotgeujeokke chingu gyeolhonsik gatda wanneunde, duri neomu haengbokae boyeosseo.
    A: “I went to my friend’s wedding a few days ago and they both looked really happy.”

    B: 난 주말에 결혼식 가야 해.
    B: Nan jumare gyeolhonsik gaya hae.
    B: “I have to go to a wedding this weekend.”

Quiz:

Q1. How do you say “yesterday” in Korean?

  1. 골든위크 (goldeunwikeu)
  2. 어제 (eoje)
  3. 샌드위치 데이 (saendeuwichi dei)
  4. 엊그저께 (eotgeujeokke)

Q2. How do you say “the day before yesterday” in Korean?

  1. 내일모레 (naeilmore)
  2. 어제 (eoje)
  3. 그저께 (geujeokke)
  4. 오늘 (oneul)

Q3. How do you say “today” in Korean?

  1. 오늘 (oneul)
  2. 엊그저께 (eotgeujeokke)
  3. 어제 (eoje)
  4. 그저께 (geujeokke)

Answers:

Q1. -> 2
Q2. -> 3
Q3. -> 1

A Small Whipped Cupcake with a Candle

9. Interesting Korean Celebration Days

Did you know that every month there’s at least one event happening? Korea has many interesting days of celebration and they’re fun to participate in, especially if you’re in a relationship or dating someone. Let’s have a look at some of the most popular celebration days in South Korea:

Korean Romanization Translation Meaning
다이어리 데이 (1월 14일)           daieori dei “Diary Day”

It’s the day that couples give each other their diaries.
발렌타인 데이 (2월 14일)           ballentain dei “Valentine’s Day” It’s the day that couples give each other chocolate.
삼겹살 데이 (3월3일)           samgyeopsal dei “Samgyeopsal Day” It’s the day to eat Samgyupsal with someone you like.
화이트 데이 (3월 14일)           hwaiteu dei “White Day” It’s the day that couples give each other candy.
블랙 데이 (4월 14일)           beullaek dei “Black Day” It’s the day to eat Jjajang noodles if you haven’t received any chocolates or candies from anyone.
로즈 데이 (5월 14일)           rojeu dei “Rose Day” It’s the day to give a rose to your gf/bf.
키스 데이 (6월 14일)           kiseu dei “Kiss Day” It’s the day to give a kiss to your gf/bf.
실버 데이 (7월 14일)           silbeo dei “Silver Day” It’s the day to exchange a silver ring with your gf/bf.
그린 데이 (8월 14일)           geurin dei “Green Day” It’s the day to walk through the woods with your gf/bf.
치킨 데이 (9월 9일)           chikin dei “Chicken Day” It’s the day to eat some fried chicken with someone you like.
포토 데이 (9월 14일)           poto dei “Photo Day” It’s the day to take pictures with your gf/bf.
와인 데이 (10월 14일)           wain dei “Wine Day” It’s the day to drink some wine with your gf/bf.
무비 데이 (11월 14일)           mubi dei “Movie Day” It’s the day to watch a film with your gf/bf.
허그 데이 (12월 14일)           heogeu dei “Hug Day” It’s the day to give a hug to your gf/bf.

10. Let’s Practice

Knowing how to discuss various time frames is important when making a reservation. Let’s imagine that you’re trying to make a reservation at a fancy restaurant to celebrate your engagement with your fiance.

Situation:

  • Concierge: 한국호텔입니다. 무엇을 도와드릴까요?
    Concierge: Hangukoterimnida. Mueoseul dowadeurilkkayo?
    Concierge: “This is a Korean hotel. How may I help you?”
  • You: 여보세요, 예약하고 싶은데요.
    You: Yeoboseyo, yeyakago sipeundeyo.
    You: “Hello, I would like to make a reservation please.”
  • Concierge: 네, 언제로 해드릴까요?
    Concierge: Ne, eonjero haedeurilkkayo?
    Concierge: “Sure, when would you like to come?”
  • You: 12월 25일 오후 7시 가능한가요?
    You: Sibiwol isiboiril ohu ilgopsi ganeunghangayo?
    You: Is it possible on the 25th of December at seven o’clock in the evening?”
  • Concierge: 확인해보겠습니다. 죄송하지만 12월 25일은 예약이 꽉 차 있습니다. 다른 날은 어떠신가요.
    Concierge: Hwaginhaebogetseumnida. Joesonghajiman 12wol 25ireun yeyagi kkwak cha itseumnida. Dareun nareun eotteosingayo.
    Concierge: “Let me check it now. I am sorry but it’s full. How about other dates?”
  • You: 아 그래요? 그럼 12월 26일 오후 7시는 가능한가요?
    You: A geuraeyo? Geureom sibiworwol isibyugil ohu ilgopsineun ganeunghangayo?
    You: “Oh really? How about on the 26th of December at seven in the evening?”
  • Concierge: 네 가능합니다. 예약 잡아 드릴까요?
    Concierge: Ne ganeunghamnida. Yeyak jaba deurilkkayo?
    Concierge: “Yes you can. Do you want me to save the room for you?”
  • You: 네, 잡아주세요.
    You: Ne, jabajuseyo.
    You: “Yes please.”
  • Concierge: 성함과 전화번호 알려주시겠습니까?
    Concierge: Seonghamgwa jeonhwabeonho allyeojusigetseumnikka?
    Concierge: “May I have your name and your number please?”

Korean Landmark

11. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean

We hope you found this blog very informative, and that we helped you learn Korean dates and time! KoreanClass101 has many free online classes and even on online forum to discuss lessons with fellow students. You’ll also find an array of blog posts like this one, and can even learn Korean with your own personal Korean teacher by upgrading your account to Premium Plus. So do check out our website, and have a great day!

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Describe Your Family in Korean: “Brother” in Korean and More

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People always talk about their family when it comes to self-introductions. Koreans value family a lot, and we love talking about our family. In this blog, we’ll teach you many useful phrases to describe your family, as well as essential family titles for you to study to expand your vocabulary skills. After reading this article, you should have no trouble talking about your brother in Korean, or letting people know about your family as a whole.

We’ll also go a little bit into family culture in Korean countries, so that you have a better idea of what to expect from Korean families!

Ready to learn how to describe family in Korean? Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

  1. Talking About How Many are in Your Family
  2. Talking About Your Siblings
  3. Talking About Significant Others & Children
  4. Korean Endearment Terms
  5. Korean Quotes About Family
  6. Korean Titles & Verbs Related to Family
  7. Have a Question? KoreanClass101 Can Help You

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1. Talking About How Many are in Your Family

Family Words

Knowing how to talk about your family members in Korean oftentimes begins with information on how many members there are. Here are some common ways to ask and answer.

1- “How many are there in your family?”

This is a common question about family. To ask how many family members someone has, it’s 가족이 몇 명이에요? (gajogi myeot myeongieyo?) in Korean. There are many ways to ask this question:

  1. 가족이 모두 몇 명이에요? (Formal)
    Gajogi modu myeot myeongieyo?
    “How many family members are there in total?”
  2. 가족이 모두 몇 명이야? (Informal)
    Gajogi modu myeot myeongiya?
    “How many family members are there in total?”
  3. 가족이 몇 분이세요? (Formal)
    Gajogi myeot buniseyo?
    “How many family members do you have?”
  4. 가족이 몇 명입니까? (Formal)
    Gajogi myeot myeongimnikka?
    “How many family members do you have?”
  5. 가족이 몇 명이야? (Informal)
    Gajogi myeot myeongiya?
    “How many members in your family?”

All of these family phrases in Korean mean the same thing. The only difference is that some are used in formal settings, and others in informal settings.

2- “There are [number] in my family.”

Let’s say that you have four people in your family. To say “There are four people in my family,” in Korean, you should say: 우리 가족은 네 명이에요 (Uri gajogeun ne myeong iyeyo). Alternatively, you can say, 가족은 모두 ~ 명 입니다. (gajogeun modu ~ myeong imnida.), meaning “There are ~ family members in total.”

KoreanClass101 has many lessons about counting numbers in Korean, so feel free to check out our website at any time.

Example:

  • A: 가족이 몇 명입니까?
    A: Gajogi myeot myeongimnikka?
    A: “How many family members do you have?”

    B: 우리 가족은 세 명이에요.
    B: Uri gajogeun se myeongieyo.
    B: “There are three members in my family.”

  • A: 가족이 모두 몇 명이야?
    A: Gajogi modu myeot myeongiya?
    A: “How many are there in your family?”

    B: 우리 집? 아빠, 엄마, 언니 있으니깐, 총 네 명있어.
    B: Uri jip? Appa, eomma, eonni isseunikkan, chong ne myeongisseo.
    B: “My house? There’s dad, mom, and a younger sister, so there are four.”

Two Kids Playing Together

2. Talking About Your Siblings

1- “I have siblings.” and “I am an only child.”

To ask someone whether he or she has siblings, ask them with the phrase 형제 자매가 있어요? (hyeongje jamaega isseoyo?), direct translation being “Do you have brothers and sisters?” Also, these days, we slightly shorten the sentence and we say 형제 있어요? (Hyeongje isseoyo?). The direct translation of this phrase also means “Do you have siblings?”

To say that you have a number of siblings, you can say 형제 자매가 있어요 (Hyeongje jamaega isseoyo.) in Korean. It means “I have brothers and sisters.”

Let’s have a look at a number of useful phrases to say:

  1. 언니 한 명이 있어요.
    Eonni han myeongi isseoyo.
    “I have an older sister.”
  2. 남동생 두 명이 있어요.
    Namdongsaeng du myeongi isseoyo.
    “I have two younger brothers.”
  3. 언니 한 명과 오빠 한 명이 있어요.
    Eonni han myeonggwa oppa han myeongi isseoyo.
    “I have an older sister and an older brother.”
  4. 저는 외동딸이에요.
    Jeoneun oedongttarieyo.
    “I am an only child (girl).”

More examples:

  • 저는 장남이예요.
    Jeoneun jangnamiyeyo.
    “I am the oldest son.”
  • 저는 둘째예요.
    Jeoneun duljjaeyeyo
    “I am the second oldest.”
  • 저는 막내예요.
    Jeoneun mangnaeyeyo.
    “I am the youngest.”

Vocabulary List for Siblings

Here are some useful Korean family terms related to siblings!

Korean Romanization Translation
장남 (첫째아들) jangnam (cheotjjaeadeul) “oldest son”
장녀 (첫째 딸) jangnyeo (cheotjjae ttal) “oldest daughter”
둘째 아들 duljjae adeul “second son”
둘째 딸 duljjae ttal “second daughter”
막내아들 mangnaeadeul “youngest son”
막내딸 mangnaettal “youngest daughter”
외아들 oeadeul “only child (male)”
외동딸 oedongttal “only child (female)”
형제 hyeongje “brothers”
자매 jamae “sisters”
언니 eonni “older sister” (from a female sibling)
누나 nuna “older sister” (from a male sibling)
여동생 yeodongsaeng “younger sister”
오빠 oppa “older brother” (from a female sibling)
hyeong “older brother” (from a male sibling)
남동생 namdongsaeng “younger brother”
쌍둥이 ssangdungi “twins”

2- “My sister is younger/older than me.”

To say that one of your siblings is younger than you, the word to describe “younger” is 어리다 (eorida) in Korean. To change the dictionary form of this word, simply change it to 어려요 (eoryeoyo). On the other hand, to say that your sibling is older than you, the word to describe “older” is 많다 (manta) in Korean, and changes to 많아요 (manayo) in spoken form.

Examples:

  • 제 여동생은 저보다 한 살 어려요.
    Je yeodongsaengeun jeoboda han sal eoryeoyo.
    “My younger sister is one year younger than me.”
  • 제 누나는 저보다 열 살 많아요.
    Je nunaneun jeoboda yeol sal manayo.
    “My older sister is ten years older than me.”

Useful Vocabulary List to Describe Age Differences

* Click on the word in the Romanization column to listen to the pronunciation.

Korean Romanization Translation
어리다 eorida “younger”
많다 manta “older”
~살 ~sal “~ years old”
동갑 donggap “same age”

A Couple Holding Hands

3. Talking About Significant Others & Children

Married, or in a serious relationship? Be sure to study these family words in Korean and the relevant phrases, so that you can talk about your beloved and family life.

1- “I have a husband/wife.” and “I have a daughter/son.”

If you’re married and have a family, you need to know how to say how many kids you have, too. There are many words to describe your own children. The most common words to say “son” and “daughter” are 아들 (adeul) and 딸 (ttal), respectively.

To say “I have a son,” it’s 저는 아들 한 명이 있습니다 (Jeoneun adeul han myeongi itseumnida). And “I have a daughter,” is 저는 딸 한 명이 있습니다 (Jeoneun ttal han myeongi itseumnida). Let’s have a look at different phrases:

  1. 저는 아들 한 명하고 딸 한 명이 있습니다.
    Jeoneun adeul han myeonghago ttal han myeongi itseumnida.
    “I have a son and a daughter.”
  2. 아들과 딸이 있습니다.
    Adeulgwa ttari itseumnida.
    “I have a son and a daughter.”
  3. 자식은 없습니다.
    Jasigeun eopseumnida.
    “I have no children.”

Useful Vocabulary List for Married Couples

* Click on the word in the Romanization column to listen to the pronunciation.

Korean Romanization Translation
남편 nampyeon “husband”
아내 anae “wife”
파트너 pateuneo “partner”
약혼자 yakonja “fiancé” (referring to a male)
약혼녀 yakonnyeo “fiancé” (referring to a female)
피앙세 piangse “fiancé”
아들 adeul “son”
ttal “daughter”
자식 jasik “Sons and daughters”
아이 ai “child”
손자 sonja “grandson”
손녀 sonnyeo “granddaughter”

More Examples:

  • A: 결혼 하셨어요?
    A: Gyeolhon hasyeosseoyo?
    A: “Are you married?”

    B: 네, 결혼했어요. 집에 아들과 딸이 있어요.
    B: Ne, gyeolhonhaesseoyo. jibe adeulgwa ttari isseoyo.
    B: “Yes, I am married. I have a son and a daughter.”

2- “I have a boyfriend/girlfriend.”

People usually ask a question like 지금 만나고 있는 사람 있니? (Jigeum mannago inneun saram inni?), which means “Are you seeing anyone at the moment?” Another common question is 남자친구/여자친구 있니? (Namjachingu/yeojachingu inni?), or “Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?”

To answer that you’re seeing someone, follow the grammatical order of “I have a brother.” To say “I have a boyfriend,” just add 남자친구 (namjachingu) followed by 있어요 (isseoyo).

If you’re not seeing anyone, but don’t want to share too much information, you can simply say 만나고 있는 사람 없어요 (Mannago inneun saram eopseoyo), which means “I’m not seeing anyone.” Another option is 아니요, 없어요 (Aniyo, eopseoyo), which literally means “No, I don’t have.”

The general conversation goes like this:

  • 아버지: 지금 만나고 있는 사람 있냐?
    Abeoji: Jigeum mannago inneun saram innya?
    Father: “Are you seeing anyone at the moment?”

    수미: 아니요. 없어요.
    Sumi: Aniyo. Eopseoyo.
    Sumi: “No, I’m not.”

Vocabulary List for Girlfriends and Boyfriends

* Click on the word in the Romanization column to listen to the pronunciation.

Korean Romanization Translation
애인 aein “lover,” “girlfriend,” “boyfriend”
남자친구 namjachingu “boyfriend”
남친 namchin “boyfriend” (slang)
여자친구 yeojachingu “girlfriend”
여친 yeochin “girlfriend” (slang)

More Examples:

  • A: 애인있어요?
    A: Aeinisseoyo?
    A: “Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend?”

    B: 애인있어요.
    B: Aeinisseoyo.
    B: “I do.”

A Silhouette of a Family

4. Korean Endearment Terms

1. “Hey baby,” and “My love.”

Couples in some countries have endearment terms for each other, like “baby.” Korea has some endearment terms like that too. The most common word is 자기야 (jagiya) which means “sweetie” or “baby.” You’ll hear couples and spouses call each other by this word. Also, young people tend to create their own secret endearment terms for each other; others make nicknames, too.

Vocabulary List for Endearment Terms

* Click on the word in the Romanization column to listen to the pronunciation.

Korean Romanization Translation
자기야 jagiya “sweetie/baby”
내 사랑 nae sarang “my love”
오빠 oppa “honey” (if bf is older)
여보 yeobo “darling” (only for married couples)

Examples:

  • A: 자기야.
    A: Jagiya.
    A: “Hey sweetie.”

    B: 응, 왜불렀어?
    B: Eung, waebulleosseo?
    B: “Yes, did you call me?”

5. Korean Quotes About Family

Family Quotes

Let’s look at some Korean phrases about family.

  • 당신은 가족을 선택하지 않는다. 당신이 가족에게 그런 것 처럼 가족은 당신에게 하느님이 주신 선물이다.
    Dangsineun gajogeul seontaekaji anneunda. Dangsini gajogege geureon geot cheoreom gajogeun dangsinege haneunimi jusin seonmurida.
    “You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.”
  • 가정에서 행복하지 않으면 다른 어디에서도 행복할 수 없다.
    Gajeongeseo haengbokaji aneumyeon dareun eodieseodo haengbokal su eopda.
    “If you’re not happy at home, you’re not happy anywhere else.”
  • 집 같은 곳은 없다.
    Jip gateun goseun eopda.
    “There is no place like home.”

Check out more quotes about family at “Top 10 Quotes about Family” on our website. Want to challenge yourself and try reading advanced Korean proverbs? Check out this article to learn about the complexity of Korean family relationships.

6. Korean Titles & Verbs Related to Family

Parents Phrases

Did you know that Korea has some of the most complicated titles for family? It’s so complicated that sometimes even Koreans struggle to remember all the titles. But don’t worry; you don’t need to memorize all the titles. Just try to memorize the most important Korean family titles, since they’re used every day.

1- Korean Family Titles

Korean Romanization Translation
조부모 jobumo “grandparents”
할머니 halmeoni “grandmother”
할아버지 harabeoji “grandfather”
부모님 bumonim “parents”
어머니 eomeoni “mother”
아버지 abeoji “father”
친척 chincheok “relative”
삼촌 samchon “uncle”
숙모 sungmo “aunt”
조카 joka “niece”
사촌 sachon “cousin”

2. Korean Verbs Related to Family

Let’s learn some important verbs that are commonly used when it comes to family.

Korean Romanization Translation
태어나다 taeeonada “to be born”
죽다 jukda “to die”
결혼하다 gyeolhonhada “to marry”
이혼하다 ihonhada “to divorce”
입양되다 ibyangdoeda “to be adopted”
입양하다 ibyanghada “to adopt”
낳다 nata “to give birth”
사랑하다 saranghada “to love”

7. Have a Question? KoreanClass101 Can Help You

What do you think about Korean family culture in Korea? How is it different from your country? Let us know in the comments!

For more family-related study materials, visit us at KoreanClass101.com. We truly believe that language-learning should be both fun and informative, and we’re here for you with motivation to study the Korean language.

If you want to learn more about the Korean family, such as the most popular Korean family names and so on, check out this page on Wikipedia too. We hope that you took away something valuable from this article, and that you’ll keep using KoreanClass101 for all your Korean-learning needs!

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How To Post In Perfect Korean on Social Media

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You’re learning to speak Korean, and it’s going well. Your confidence is growing! So much so that you feel ready to share your experiences on social media—in Korean.

At Learn Korean, we make this easy for you to get it right the first time. Post like a boss with these phrases and guidelines, and get to practice your Korean in the process.

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1. Talking about Your Restaurant Visit in Korean

Eating out is fun, and often an experience you’d like to share. Take a pic, and start a conversation on social media in Korean. Your friend will be amazed by your language skills…and perhaps your taste in restaurants!

Jae-Wu eats at a restaurant with his friends, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Jae-Wu’s post.

너무 맛있어! 완추! (Neomu massisseo. wanchu!)
“It’s so delicious! Thumbs-up!”

1- 너무 맛있어! (Neomu massisseo!)

First is an expression meaning “It’s so delicious!.”
The adverb 너무 (neomu) means “too,” as in “too good.” In written and formal Korean, this adverb has traditionally been used only in a negative sense, for example..
너무 나쁘다 (neomu nappeuda) which means “it’s too bad.” However, more and more people have started using it in positive expressions too, the way it was used in this sentence. Note that when you write a comment on social media, it’s better to use the spoken Korean version.

2- 완추! (wanchu)

Then comes the phrase – “Thumbs-up, highly recommended!.”
This is a slang word which literally means “completely recommended!” Here, we have the word 완 (wan) which comes from the word 완전 (wanjeon), meaning “completely”, and next we have 추 (chu) which comes from the noun 추천 (chucheon) meaning “recommendation.” You can use it to say “thumbs-up” or “highly recommended”.

COMMENTS

In response, Jae-Wu’s friends leave some comments.

1- 진짜 맛있겠다. (Jinjja masitgetda.)

His girlfriend, Sora, uses an expression meaning – “That looks so delicious.”
Use this expression to show you are feeling appreciative.

2- 본전 뽑고 와! (Bonjeon ppopgo wa!)

His college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “Eat as much as you can!”
This comment shows Samsik is being frivolous.

3- 다음엔 나도 데려가! (Daeumen nado deryeoga!)

His high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “Make sure to take me next time!”
This is a positive statement, expressing Hana’s optimism to be invited with next time!

4- 비싸 보이는데.. (Bissa boineunde..)

His girlfriend’s nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “Looks expensive..”
This is a somewhat “downer” statement, given the context. Perhaps Manse is feeling cynical?

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 너무 (neomu): “too, very”
  • 완추 (wanchu): “completely recommend”
  • 진짜 (jinjja): “real”
  • 본전 (bonjeon): “money’s worth”
  • 다음 (daeum): “next “
  • 맛있다 (masitda): “delicious”
  • 비싸다 (bissada): “expensive”
  • So, let’s practice a bit. If a friend posted something about having dinner with friends, which phrase would you use?

    Now go visit a Korean restaurant, and wow everyone with your language skills!

    2. Post about Your Mall Visit in Korean

    Another great topic for social media is shopping—everybody does it, almost everybody loves it, and your friends on social media are probably curious about your shopping spree! Share these Korean phrases in posts when you visit a mall.

    Sora is shopping with her sister at the mall, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Sora’s post.

    여동생이랑 쇼핑 중.. (Yeodongsaeng-irang syoping jung..)
    “Shopping with my younger sister…”

    1- 여동생이랑 (yeodongsaeng-irang)

    First is an expression meaning “with my younger sister.”
    In Korean, it’s important to say if your sister is younger or older. If she is younger, you use the noun 여동생 (yeodongsaeng), which means “younger sister.” For an older sister, you say 언니 (eonni) meaning “older sister”, if you are female. If you are male, you would use 누나 (nuna). Here we have the particle 이랑 (irang), which is used in informal speech and means “with.”

    2- 쇼핑 중.. (syoping jung..)

    Then comes the phrase – “doing shopping.”
    It starts with the noun 쇼핑 (syoping), the word for “shopping,” and next is the word 중 (jung) which means “in the middle of..” Using this pattern, for example, you can say 운전 중 (unjeon jung) ”I’m driving..”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Sora’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 또 쇼핑하는 거야? (Tto syoping-haneun geoya?)

    Her nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “Shopping again?”
    Manse is not in a good mood, he seems a bit cynical.

    2- 나도 어제 거기 있었는데! (Nado eoje geogi isseonneunde!)

    Her high school friend, Song-Hui, uses an expression meaning – “I was there yesterday too!”
    Song-Hui expresses surprise here.

    3- 또 옷이 늘어나는구나.. (Tto osi neureonaneunguna..)

    Her boyfriend, Jae-Wu, uses an expression meaning – “Your wardrobe is expanding..”
    Jae-Wu feels resigned about his girlfriend’s shopping spree.

    4- 앗, 정말 여동생이야? 더 나이가 많은 것 같은데.. (At, jeongmal yeodongsaeng-iya? Deo na-iga manuen geto gatteunde..)

    Her college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “Wow, is she really your YOUNGER sister? She looks older than you..”
    Use this expression when you are feeling frivolous or are joking around.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 동생 (dongsaeng): “younger sibling”
  • 쇼핑 (syoping): “shopping”
  • 어제 (eoje): “yesterday”
  • 옷 (ot): “clothes”
  • 나이 (nai): “age”
  • 거기 ( geogi): “there”
  • 또 (tto): “again”
  • So, if a friend posted something about going shopping, which phrase would you use?

    3. Talking about a Sport Day in Korean

    Sport events, whether you’re the spectator or the sports person, offer fantastic opportunity for great social media posts. Learn some handy phrases and vocabulary to start a sport-on-the-beach conversation in Korean.

    Jae-Wu plays with his friends at the beach, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Jae-Wu’s post.

    올해엔 제발 좀! (Olhae-en jebal jom!)
    “PLEASE win this year!”

    1- 올해엔 (olhae-en)

    First is an expression meaning “this year.”
    In spoken Korean, people shorten particles with two syllables. So, for example, the particle 엔 (en) should actually be pronounced 에는 (eneun) as in 올해에는 (olhae-eneun). But for spoken Korean or on social media, it sounds more natural to say 올해엔 (olhae-en) and use the particle in a shortened form.

    2- 제발 좀! (Jebal jom!)

    Then comes the phrase – “please!.”
    Here, we have the word 제발 (jebal). By itself, it means “please”, but if you add the adverb 좀 (jom) meaning “more”, it emphasizes that you really want something to happen.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Jae-Wu’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 화이팅! (Hwaiting!)

    His high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “Cheers!”
    This is an expression of optimism.

    2- 잘 될 거야! (Jal deol kkeoya!)

    His neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “It’ll be all right!”
    Use this expression when you want to encourage someone.

    3- 그래서 결과는 어떻게 됐어? ㅋㅋ (Geuraeseo gyeolgwaneun eotteoke dweosseo? keu keu)

    His girlfriend’s high school friend, Song-Hui, uses an expression meaning – “So what’s the result?”
    Here, Song-Hui is joking around.

    4- 그런 건 묻지 마. ㅎㅎ (Geureon geon mutji ma. heu heu)

    Himself, Jae-Wu, uses an expression meaning – “Don’t ask such a thing.”
    Use this expression to be secretive.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 해 (hae): “year”
  • 제발 (jebal): “please”
  • 좀 (jeom): “some”
  • 그래서 (geuraeseo): “so, therefore”
  • 결과 (gyeolgwa): “result”
  • 잘 (jal): “well”
  • 어떻게 (eotteoke): “how, what”
  • Which phrase would you use if a friend posted something about sports?

    But sport is not the only thing you can play! Play some music, and share it on social media.

    4. Share a Song on Social Media in Korean

    Music is the language of the soul, they say. So, don’t hold back—share what touches your soul with your friends!

    Sora shares a song she just heard at a party, posts an image of the artist, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Sora’s post.

    이 노래 강추! (I norae gangchu!)
    “Highly recommend this song!”

    1- 이 노래 (i norae)

    First is an expression meaning “this song.”
    It starts with the pronoun 이 (i) meaning “this” and has the noun 노래 (norae) meaning “song.” In written and formal Korean, you need to add the object marking particle and say 이 노래를 (i norae-reul). But in spoken Korean, it’s more natural to omit the particle, as in 이 노래 좋아 (i norae joa) “I like this song.”

    2- 강추! (gangchu!)

    Then comes the phrase – “highly recommend.”
    This phrase has the same format as the word 완추 (wanchu), which also means “highly recommend.” First, we have 강 (gang) which is from the noun meaning “strong,” and then 추 (chu) which means “recommendation.” Altogether, you can say 강추 (gangchu) to mean “highly recommend”.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Sora’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 와, 예전 생각 난다. (Wa, yejeon saeng-gak nanda.)

    Her high school friend, Song-Hui, uses an expression meaning – “Wow, it makes me remember the old days.”
    Use this expression to be funny.

    2- 명곡이야. (Myeonggogiya.)

    Her neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “It’s a masterpiece.”
    This expression conveys a feeling of warmheartedness.

    3- 완전 옛날 노래잖아. (Wanjeon yennal noraejanna.)

    Her nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “It’s too old.”
    Manse is feeling cynical and critical.

    4- 나도 옛날에 팬이었어! (Nado yennare paenieosseo!)

    Her supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “I used to be a fan too!”
    Gong-yu is reminiscing about the past.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 이 (i): “this”
  • 강추 (gangchu): “highly recommend”
  • 예전 (yejeon): “the past days”
  • 노래 (norae): “song”
  • 생각 (saenggak): “thoughts”
  • 팬 (paen): “fan”
  • 명곡 (myeonggok): “masterpiece”
  • Which song would you share? And what would you say to a friend who posted something about sharing music or videos?

    Now you know how to start a conversation about a song or a video on social media!

    5. Korean Social Media Comments about a Concert

    Still on the theme of music—visiting live concerts and shows just have to be shared with your friends. Here are some handy phrases and vocab to wow your followers in Korean!

    Jae-Wu goes to a concert, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Jae-Wu’s post.

    완전 기대! (Wanjeon gidae!)
    “Very excited!”

    1- 완전 (wanjeon)

    First is an expression that means “completely.”
    This is really a noun meaning “complete” but in spoken Korean, people use it to say “really.” If you prefer to use the more formal term, you can say 정말 (jeongmal) which is the grammatically correct way of saying “really.”

    2- 기대 (gidae)

    Then comes the phrase – “expected, excited.”
    This noun means “expectation,” and on social media, people often end their sentences with a noun. You can consider this noun to be a shortened form of the verb 기대하다 (gidaehada) meaning “to expect.” As a noun, it often means “excited.”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Jae-Wu’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 재미있게 보고 와~ (Jaemiitge bogo wa~)

    His high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “Have fun!”
    Use this expression to show you are feeling optimistic.

    2- 대단해. 제주도까지 가다니. (Daedanae. Jejudokkaji gadani.)

    His college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “Wow, you made it all the way to Jeju Island.”
    This expression shows a frivolous attitude, as Samsik is joking with Jae-Wu.

    3- 보기만 해도 더워.. (Bogiman haedo deowo..)

    His girlfriend, Sora, uses an expression meaning – “Just looking at it makes me feel hot..”
    Sora is clearly sensitive to heat.

    4- 지겹지도 않나봐요. (Jigyeopjido annabwayo.)

    His girlfriend’s nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “You never get bored with this?”
    Manse is still being the negative one in the conversations.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 완전 (wanjeon): “completely, fully”
  • 기대 (gidae): “expect, excited”
  • 대단 (daedan): “great, tremendous”
  • ~까지 (~kkaji): “until~”
  • 더워 (deowo): “hot”
  • 재미 ( jaemi): “fun”
  • 지겹다 (jigyeopda): “boring, tedious”
  • If a friend posted something about a concert , which phrase would you use?

    6. Talking about an Unfortunate Accident in Korean

    Oh dear. You broke something by accident. Use these Korean phrases to start a thread on social media. Or maybe just to let your friends know why you are not contacting them!

    Sora accidentally broke her mobile phone, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Sora’s post.

    어떻게 해.. (Eotteoke hae..)
    “What should I do?”

    1- 어떻게 (eotteoke)

    First is an expression meaning “how.”
    This is the same adverb meaning “how” that we see in the question 어떻게 먹어? (eotteoke meogeo), meaning “how do you eat?” or literally “how eat?”

    2- 해 (hae)

    Then comes the phrase – “to do.”
    해 (hae) is the verb meaning “to do.” Put them together and you get 어떻게 해 (eotteoke hae) which means “What should I do?” or “How did this happen?” When something unfortunate has happened, you can use this phrase 어떻게 해. (eotteoke hae)

    COMMENTS

    In response, Sora’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 앗, 어떻게 된거야? (At, eotteoke dweongeoya?)

    Her college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “Oh, what happened?”
    This expression has a frivolous undertone.

    2- 완전 충격! (Wanjeon chunggyeok!)

    Her high school friend, Song-Hui, uses an expression meaning – “Completely shocked!”
    Song-Hui is joking with her friend here.

    3- 벌써 두 번째잖아! (Beolsseo du beonjjaejana!)

    Her nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “It’s the second time already!”
    Manse is still being the negative, cynical poster.

    4- 설마 법인폰? (Seolma beobin-pon?)

    Her supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “It’s not a company phone, is it?”
    Use this expression to be old fashioned.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 어떻게 (eotteoke): “how, what”
  • 해 (hae): “to do”
  • 충격 (chunggyeok): “shock”
  • 벌써 (beolsseo): “already”
  • 설마 (seolma): “can’t be, you don’t say”
  • 법인 (beobin): “corporate”
  • 폰 (pon): “phone”
  • If a friend posted something about having broken something by accident, which phrase would you use?

    So, now you know how to describe an accident in Korean. Well done!

    7. Chat about Your Boredom on Social Media in Korean

    Sometimes, we’re just bored with our lives. And to alleviate the boredom, we write about it on social media. Add some excitement to your posts by addressing your friends and followers in Korean!

    Jae-Wu gets bored at home, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Jae-Wu’s post.

    오늘 밤 달릴까? (Oneul bam dallilkka?)
    “Shall we drink tonight?”

    1- 오늘 밤 (oneun bam)

    First is an expression meaning “tonight.”
    To say “tonight” in Korean, you can simply say 오늘 (oneul) meaning “today” and the word
    밤 (bam) meaning “a night.” Altogether, you can say 오늘 밤 (oneul bam) meaning “the night of today” or “tonight.” Using the same pattern, you can say 오늘 저녁 (oneul jeonyeok) “this evening” or 오늘 오후 (oneul ohu) “this afternoon.”

    2- 달릴까 (dallilkka)

    Then comes the phrase – “shall we run? (shall we drink?).”
    It originated from the verb 달리다 (daillida) meaning “to run,” and Korean people often use it to say “to go drinking.” It comes from the idea that when you run, you need to drink a lot. However, this phrase only applies to alcohol in large quantities, so make sure you don’t use this word if you just want to have one cup of soju.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Jae-Wu’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 좋아! 대신 너가 쏘는거지? (Joa! Daesin neoga ssoneungeoji?)

    His high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “Sounds good! You’re paying, right?”
    Hana is feeling optimistic about the prospect of free drinks..

    2- 밤이니까 시원하게 한강 변 어때? (Baminikka siwonhage hangangbyeon eottae?)

    His neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “It’ll be evening, so how about a walk near the Han river?”
    Use this expression to show you are feeling warmhearted.

    3- 홍대에 좋은 클럽 아는데. (Hongdae-e joeun keulleop aneunde.)

    His college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “I know a good club in the Hongdae area.”
    Samsik is in a fun mood.

    4- 홍대 클럽에 한 표! (Hongdae keulleobe han pyo!)

    His girlfriend, Sora, uses an expression meaning – “One vote for the Hongdae club!”
    Sora is optimistic about the evening’s plans.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 오늘 (oneul ): “today”
  • 밤 (bam): “night”
  • 한강 (hangang): “Han River”
  • 강변 (gangbyeon): “riverside”
  • 홍대 (hongdae): “Hongik University”
  • 클럽 (keulleop): “club”
  • 어때 (eottae): “be how, what do you think”
  • If a friend posted something about being bored, which phrase would you use?

    Share another feeling and see if you can start a conversation!

    8. Exhausted? Share It on Social Media in Korean

    Sitting in public transport after work, feeling like chatting online? Well, converse in Korean about how you feel, and let your friends join in!

    Sora feels exhausted after a long day at work, posts an image of herself looking tired, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Sora’s post.

    피곤해 죽겠다.. (Pigonae jukgetda..)
    “I’m tired to death.”

    1- 피곤해 (pigonnae)

    First is an expression meaning “because I’m tired.”
    If it’s written Korean, it should be 피곤해서 (pigonhaeseo) using the particle 해서 (haeseo) which means “because of” or “because.” But on social media, you can use the spoken Korean version, which comes with the shortened form of the particle, and say 피곤해. (Pigonhae.)

    2- 죽겠다 (jukgetda)

    Then comes the phrase – “I’ll die..”
    You can use the verb 죽겠다 (jukketda) to emphasize how you feel. It literally means “I will die” but Korean people use it to say “I’m very tired” or “I’m very happy.” Even when they say “I’m very happy,” they use 좋아 죽겠다 (joa jukketta) which literally means “I’ll die because of the happiness.”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Sora’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 남친한테 오늘 저녁밥 부탁해봐. (Namchinhante oneul jeonyeokbap butakaebwa.)

    Her neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “Ask your boyfriend to make dinner for you tonight.”
    Min-hee partakes warm-heartedly in the conversation.

    2- 피곤하구나.. 오늘 저녁은 내가 할게. (Pigonhaguna.. Oneul jeonyeogeun naega halge.)

    Her boyfriend, Jae-Wu, uses an expression meaning – “You look tired. I’ll prepare dinner tonight.”
    Helpful Jae-Wu is being a wonderful boyfriend, determined to make Sora’s life easier.

    3- 힘내! (Himnae!)

    Her boyfriend’s high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “Cheer up!”
    Use this expression to show optimism.

    4- 뭐 그 정도로 피곤하다고. (Mwo geu jeongdoro pigonhadago.)

    Her nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “You shouldn’t be tired from such a small thing.”
    What a wet rag Manse is! Still being cynical and rather negative.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 피곤 (pigon): “fatigue, tiredness”
  • 죽겠다 (jukgetda): “feel like dying because of~”
  • 남친 (namchin): “boyfriend”
  • 힘내 (himnae): “cheer up”
  • 뭐 (mwo): “what”
  • 부탁 (butak): “request, favor”
  • 저녁밥 (jeonyeokbap): “dinner”
  • 할게 (halge): “will do”
  • If a friend posted something about being exhausted, which phrase would you use?

    Now you know how to say you’re exhausted in Korean! Well done.

    9. Talking about an Injury in Korean

    So life happens, and you manage to hurt yourself during a soccer game. Very Tweet-worthy! Here’s how to do it in Korean.

    Jae-Wu suffers a painful injury, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Jae-Wu’s post.

    운동하다 발목을 접질렀어. (Undonghada balmogeul jeopjilleosseo.)
    “I sprained my ankle while working out.”

    1- 운동하다 (undonghada)

    First is an expression meaning “while working out.”
    Here, the noun 운동 (undong) can mean “work out” at a gym or “to play” any type of sport.

    2- 접질렀어 (jeopjilleosseo)

    Then comes the phrase – “I sprained my ankle.”
    The verb 접질르다 (jeopjireuda) means “to sprain one’s ankle.” If it’s broken, you can say 부러졌어 (bureojyeosseo) or if it’s cramping, you can say 쥐가 났어. (jwiga nasseo.)

    COMMENTS

    In response, Jae-Wu’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 금방 나을거야. (Geumbang naeulgeoya.)

    His high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “It should heal quickly.”
    Hana is feeling optimistic about his assessment Jae-Wu’s injury.

    2- 운동 좀 적당히 해. (Undong jom jeokdanghi hae.)

    His college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “Don’t work out too much.”
    Samsik is teasing his friend a bit.

    3- 오늘은 집에 가서 푹 쉬어. (Oneuren jibe gaseo puk swieo.)

    His neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “(Take a) rest at home today.”
    Min-Hee is giving warmhearted advice.

    4- 그래도 내일 회사는 나오는거지? (Geuraedo naeil heosaneun naoneungeoji?)

    His supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “You’re coming to work tomorrow, right?”
    Old-fashioned Gong-yu is eager to confirm that Jae-Wu is not too badly injured for work.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 운동하다 (undonghada): “exercise”
  • 접질렀어 (jeopjilleosseo): “sprain”
  • 금방 (geumbang): “soon, shortly”
  • 적당히 (jeokdanghi): “suitably, adequately”
  • 푹 (puk): “sufficiently”
  • 그래도 (geuraedo): “but, however”
  • 발목 (balmok): “ankle”
  • If a friend posted something about being injured, which phrase would you use?

    We love to share our fortunes and misfortunes; somehow that makes us feel connected to others.

    10. Starting a Conversation about Feeling Disappointed in Korean

    Sometimes things don’t go the way we planned. Share your disappointment about this with your friends!

    Sora feels disappointed about today’s weather, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Sora’s post.

    비가 오니까 다운됐어.. (Biga onikka daun-dwaesseo..)
    “Rain makes me feel depressed..”

    1- 비가 오니까 (biga onikka)

    First is an expression meaning “because it’s raining.”
    This phrase ends with the particle 니까 (nikka) meaning “because of.” You can use this pattern to also say, for instance: 노래를 들으니까 (norareul deureunikka) which means “because I was listening to the song” or 혼자 집에 있으니까 (honja jibe isseunikka) “because I was at home alone.”

    2- 다운됐어. (daun-dwaesseo)

    Then comes the phrase – “I am feeling down.”
    This slang originates from the English word “down”. It literally means “to get down” or “to feel down.” If you prefer to use less slang, you can say 우울해졌다 (u-ulhaejyeotda) which means “I’m feeling depressed.”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Sora’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 무슨 일 있어? (Museun il isseo?)

    Her neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “What happened?”
    Warmhearted Min-Hee is also expressing commiseration by asking Sora to talk about her experiences.

    2- 회사에서도 얼굴이 안 좋더니.. (Heosaeseodo eolguri an joteoni..)

    Her supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “You didn’t look well at the office…”
    Gong-yu is also sharing an expression of concern, from an older, more old-fashioned person.

    3- 우울하면 그냥 자.. (U-ulhamyeon geunyang ja..)

    Her nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “Just take a nap if you’re depressed.”
    Manse also has advice.

    4- 내가 맛있는 거 사갈게. (Naega massineun geo sagalge.)

    Her boyfriend, Jae-Wu, uses an expression meaning – “I’ll get you something delicious.”
    Jae-Wu is determined to lift Sora’s mood – what a nice guy!

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • ~니까 (~nikka): “because of~”
  • 다운 (daun): “feel down”
  • 우울 ( u-ul): “depressed”
  • 사갈게 (sagalge): “will buy and go”
  • 비 (bi): “rain”
  • 그냥 (geunyang ): “just, as it is”
  • How would you comment in Korean when a friend is disappointed?

    Not all posts need to be about a negative feeling, though!

    11. Talking about Your Relationship Status in Korean

    Don’t just change your relationship status in Settings, talk about it!

    Jae-Wu changes his status to “In a relationship”, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Jae-Wu’s post.

    오늘로 사귄지 1,000일! (Oneullo sagwinji cheonil!)
    “1000th day since first seeing each other!”

    1- 오늘로 사귄지 (oenullo sagwinji)

    First is an expression meaning “Since we dated.”
    This phrase uses the verb 사귀다 (sagwida) which means “to date as a couple.” You can use the verb in 오늘부터 사귀다 (oneulbuteo sagwida) to mean “We date from today.”

    2- 1,000일 (cheonil)

    Then comes the phrase – “1,000th day..”
    It’s important to celebrate special days in Korea, so you will hear people celebrating 백일 (baegil) 100th day, 이백일 (ibaegil) 200th day, 오백일 (obaegil) 500th day, and even 천일 (cheonil) 1,000th day.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Jae-Wu’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 첫 키스한 지는 얼마나 지났어? (Cheot kiseuhan jineun eolmana jinasseo?)

    His college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “How many days have passed since the first kiss?”
    Samsik is being frivolous.

    2- 와 벌써? 축하해! (Wa beolsseo? Chukahae!)

    His high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “Wow, already? Congratulations!”
    This is an optimistic expression of congratulations.

    3- 2,000일은 올까? (Icheonireun olkka?)

    His girlfriend’s nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “When is the 2,000th day?”
    Manse is showing a cynical attitude, perhaps indicating that he doesn’t think the relationship will last long.

    4- 회사에서 연애하느라 고생이 많아. (Heosaeseo yeonaehaneura gosaeng-i mana.)

    His supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “You must be very fatigued from the dating done at work.”
    Old-fashioned Gong-yu comments on the work-romance.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 사귀다 (sagwida): “date”
  • 첫 (cheot ): “first”
  • 천일 (cheonil): “1000 days”
  • 연애 (yeonae): “date, have a relationship”
  • 고생 (gosaeng): “hardship”
  • 얼마나 (eolmana): “how”
  • What would you say in Korean when a friend changes their relationship status?

    Being in a good relationship with someone special is good news – don’t be shy to spread it!

    12. Post about Getting Married in Korean

    Wow, so things got serious, and you’re getting married. Congratulations! Or, your friend is getting married, so talk about this in Korean.

    Sora is getting married today, so she eaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Sora’s post.

    저희 결혼해요! (Jeohui gyeolhonhaeyo.)
    “We’re getting married.”

    1- 저희 (jeohui)

    First is an expression meaning “we (humble).”
    This pronoun is used to address “we” humbly.

    2- 결혼해요! (Gyeolhonhaeyo!)

    Then comes the phrase – “to get married!.”
    This expression includes the noun 결혼 (gyeolhon) which means “marriage,” so 결혼해요 (gyeolhonhaeyo) literally means “to do marriage.”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Sora’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 축하해. 오래오래 행복하게 살아! (Chukahae. Oraeorae haengbokage sara!)

    Her supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “Congratulations! Wishing you a long-lasting marriage!”
    This is an old-fashioned but still warmhearted expression of congratulations.

    2- 오늘 부케는 꼭 내가! (Oneul bukeneun kkok naega!)

    Her high school friend, Song-Hui, uses an expression meaning – “I’ll get the bouquets today!”
    Song-Hui is joking around.

    3- 드디어 아줌마가 되는구나! (Deudieo ajummaga deoneunguna!)

    Her college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “You’re becoming a Mrs.!”
    This comment also expresses happiness and optimism.

    4- 둘다 정말 행복해 보여. (Dulda jeongmal haengbokhae boyeo.)

    Her future husband’s high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “You both look so happy.”
    This positive statement is optimistic.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 저희 (jeohui): “we”
  • 결혼 (gyeolhon): “marriage”
  • 오래오래 (oraeorae): “long long time”
  • 축가 (chukga): “nuptial song”
  • 아줌마 (ajumma): “ma’am”
  • 둘다 (dulda): “both”
  • 꼭 (kkok): “surely, certainly”
  • How would you respond in Korean to a friend’s post about getting married?

    For the next topic, fast forward about a year into the future after the marriage…

    13. Announcing Big News in Korean

    Wow, huge stuff is happening in your life! Announce it in Korean.

    Jae-Wu finds out he and his wife are going to have a baby, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Jae-Wu’s post.

    내년에 아이 아빠가 된다! (Naenyeone a-i appaga deonda!)
    “I’ll be a father next year! (Yay!)”

    1- 내년에 (naenyeone)

    First is an expression meaning “next year.”
    To mean “next year” you can use either 내년 (naenyeon) or 다음해 (daeumhae.) 내년 (naenyeon) is made with two Chinese characters so it sounds formal, while 다음해 (daeumhae), which is made with two native Korean words, sounds softer.

    2- 아이 아빠가 된다! (a-i appaga deonda!)

    Then comes the phrase – “to become a father.”
    For sure, you can say 아빠가 된다 (appaga deonda) here to mean “to become a father.” But if you use 아이 아빠 (a-i appa) which literally means “a father of a child” it sounds like you are happy to be the father of someone rather than just stating the fact.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Jae-Wu’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 축하해! 애기가 정말 예쁠 것 같아. (Chukahae! Aegiga jeongmal yeoppeul geot gata.)

    His high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “Congratulations! The baby should be so cute.”
    Hana is feeling positive and optimistic about Jae-Wu’s news.

    2- 나도 조카가 생기는구나..ㅠㅠ (Nado jokaga saeng-gineunguna..ㅠㅠ)

    His nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “I’m having a nephew soon..ㅠㅠ”
    Manse is excited about the baby, and expressing it in a fun way.

    3- 앗, 벌써? (At, beolsseo?)

    His college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “Oh, already?”
    Samsik is joking frivolously with his friend.

    4- 아이가 건강하도록 기도할게요! (A-iga geonganghadorok gidohalgeyo!)

    His neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “I’ll pray for the healthiness of the baby!”
    Min-Hee is happy for the couple and leaves a warm wish of well being for the new baby.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 내년 (naenyeon): “next year”
  • 아이 ( ai ): “child”
  • 아빠 (appa): “dad”
  • 조카 ( joka): “cousin”
  • 기도 ( gido): “prayer”
  • 건강 (geongang): “health”
  • ~것 같아 (~geot gata): “look like~”
  • Which phrase would you choose when a friend announces their pregnancy on social media?

    So, talking about a pregnancy will get you a lot of traction on social media. But wait till you see the responses to babies!

    14. Posting Korean Comments about Your Baby

    Your bundle of joy is here, and you cannot keep quiet about it! Share your thoughts in Korean.

    Sora plays with her baby, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Sora’s post.

    아이가 태어났어요. (A-iga taeeonasseoyo.)
    “The child was born!”

    1- 아이가 (a-iga)

    First is an expression meaning “child.”
    You can use the noun 아이 (a-i) to mean either a baby or child in general. 어린이 (eorini) is another noun that means “a child,” but this noun cannot be used to mean “a baby.”

    2- 태어났어요 (taeeonasseoyo)

    Then comes the phrase – “was born.”
    This expression has the verb 태어나다 (tae-eonada) meaning “to be born.”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Sora’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 정말 두 사람 꼭 닮았다! (Jeongmal du saram kkok dalmatda!)

    Her high school friend, Song-Hui, uses an expression meaning – “The baby looks just like you both!”
    Song-Hui is positive and also joking around a bit.

    2- 진짜 축하해! 다음에 한 턱 내! (Jinjja chukahae! Daeume han teok nae!)

    Her college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “Congratulations from my heart! Buy some dinner next time!”
    Samsik is also feeling frivolous and jokes with the couple.

    3- 빨리 보고 싶다~ (Ppalli bogo sipda-)

    Her nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “I want to see the baby soon!”
    Use this expression to show you are feeling excited.

    4- 축하해! 건강하게 자라길 바래! (Chukahae! Geonganghage jaragil barae!)

    Her supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “Congratulations! I wish the baby grows healthy.”
    A sweet, old-fashioned wish from Gong-yu.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 태어나다 (taeeonada): “be born”
  • 닮았다 (dalmatda): “resemble”
  • 다음 (daeum): “next”
  • 한 턱 내 ( han teok nae): “treat someone”
  • 보고 싶다 (bogo sipda): “missing someone”
  • 축하해 (chukahae): “congratulations”
  • If your friend is the mother or father, which phrase would you use on social media?

    Congratulations, you know the basics of chatting about a baby in Korean! But we’re not done with families yet…

    15. Korean Comments about a Family Reunion

    Family reunions – some you love, some you hate. Share about it on your feed.

    Jae-Wu goes to a family gathering, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Jae-Wu’s post.

    오랜만의 가족 모임! 조카들이 많이 컸네. (Oraenmanui gajok moim! Jokadeuri mani keonne.)
    “Family gathering after a long time! Nephews have grown up a lot.”

    1- 오랜만의 가족모임! (Oraenmanui gajok moim! )

    First is an expression meaning “Family gathering after a long time. .”
    You can use the noun 오랜만 (oraenman) to mean “after a long time.” You can also use it with other event names such as 오랜만의 동창회 (oraenmanui dongchangheo), which means “alumni gathering after a long time,” for example.

    2- 조카들이 많이 컸네. (Jokadeuri mani keonne.)

    Then comes the phrase – “Nephews are grown up a lot..”
    In Korean, just one word 조카 (joka) is used to mean both nephews and nieces.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Jae-Wu’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 다음에 보면 어른이 되어 있을 것 같아. (Daeume bomyeon eoreuni doeeo isseul geto gata.)

    His wife, Sora, uses an expression meaning – “They should be adults next time.”
    Sora also comments on how fast the nephews are growing.

    2- 다들 건강하시지? (Dadeul geonganghasiji?)

    His high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “They are all healthy, right?”
    Hana feels optimistic that everyone is indeed healthy.

    3- 대가족이네! (Daegajogine!)

    His neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “Such a big family!”
    A warmhearted comment to keep the conversation going.

    4- 어머님은 언제나 아름다우시네. (Eomeonimeun eonjena areumdausine.)

    His college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “Your mother always looks beautiful.”
    Samsik shares a warmhearted, complimentary observation about Jae-Wu’s mother.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 오랜만 (oraenman): “in a long time”
  • 가족 (gajok): “family”
  • 모임 (moim): “gathering”
  • 어른 (eoreun): “adult”
  • 대가족 (daegajok): “big family”
  • 다들 (dadeul): “everyone”
  • 언제나 (eonjena): “always”
  • Which phrase is your favorite to comment on a friend’s photo about a family reunion?

    16. Post about Your Travel Plans in Korean

    So, the family are going on holiday. Do you know what to post and how to leave comments in Korean about being at the airport, waiting for a flight?

    Sora waits at the airport for her flight, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Sora’s post.

    태국에 갑니다! 잘 다녀올게요! (Taeguge gamnida! Jal danyeo-olgeyo!)
    “Going to Thailand! Will have a great trip!”

    1- 태국에 갑니다! (Taeguge gamnida! )

    First is an expression meaning “Going to Thailand! .”
    There are some country names that sound different than their original names, for example, 태국 (taeguk) for Thailand, 미국 (miguk) for U.S.A, and 중국 (jung-guk) for China. They all end with the noun 국 (guk) meaning ” a country.”

    2- 잘 다녀올게요! (Jal danyeoolgeyo!)

    Then comes the phrase – “Will come back after having a lot of fun!.”
    This is a common phrase to use when you leave for a trip.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Sora’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 맛있는 것 많이 먹고 와! (Masineun geot mani meokgo wa!)

    Her neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “Have some great food!”
    This is a warmhearted instruction.

    2- 기념품도 잊지 말고! (Ginyeompumdo itji malgo!)

    Her college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “Don’t forget the souvenirs!”
    Samsik is the joker, and showing his frivolous mood with this comment.

    3- 나도 작년에 갔는데 정말 좋았어. (Nado jaknyeone ganneunde jeongmal joasseo.)

    Her high school friend, Song-Hui, uses an expression meaning – “I went there last year and it was so good.”
    Song-Hui is sharing some personal history and keeps the conversation going this way.

    4- 재밌게 놀다 와! (Jaemike nolda wa!)

    Her husband’s high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “Have fun!”
    Hana is also being optimistic that the trip will go well.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 기념품 (ginyeompum): “souvenir”
  • 잘 다녀올게요 ( jal danyeoolgeyo): “will go safely and back”
  • 작년 (jangnyeon): “last year”
  • 태국 (taeguk): “Thailand”
  • 놀다 와 (nolda wa): “go play and come back”
  • 잊지 말고 ( itji malgo): “don’t forget”
  • Choose and memorize your best airport phrase in Korean!

    Hopefully the rest of the trip is better!

    17. Posting about an Interesting Find in Korean

    So maybe you’re strolling around at your local market, and find something interesting. Here are some handy Korean phrases!

    Jae-Wu finds an unusual item at a local market, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Jae-Wu’s post.

    이런 거 처음 봐! (Ireon geo cheoum bwa!)
    “Never seen this before!”

    1- 이런 거 (ireon geo)

    First is an expression meaning “a thing like this.”
    The formal version of this phrase is 이런 것 (ireon geot,) but in daily conversation, Korean people use 거 (geo) more often to mean “a thing” instead of 것 (geot.)

    2- 처음 봐! (Cheoeum bwa!)

    Then comes the phrase – “to see something for the first time.”
    This expression can be used when you see something for the very first time and to show your surprise.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Jae-Wu’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 그게 뭐야? 재미있게 생겼어. (Geuge mwoya? Jaemi-itge saenggyeosseo.)

    His neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “What’s that? It looks funny.”
    Min-Hee comments on the find and is curious about its.

    2- 너처럼 생겼어. (Neocheoreom saenggyeosseo.)

    His wife’s high school friend, Song-Hui, uses an expression meaning – “It looks like you.”
    Use this expression to be funny.

    3- 먹을 수 있는건가..? (Meogeul su inneungeonga…?)

    His college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “Is it something you can eat…?”
    Samsik also makes fun of Jae-Wu, keeping the conversation frivolous.

    4- 안 본 눈 사요. (An bon nun sayo.)

    His wife, Sora, uses an expression meaning – “I wish I didn’t see this. (lit. I’m buying the eyes that haven’t seen this.)”
    Sora is keeping the conversation going with this comment.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 이런 거 (ireon geo): “this kind of thing”
  • 처음 (cheoeum): “first time”
  • 뭐야? (Mwoya?): “What is it?”
  • 안 (an ): “not”
  • 사요 (sayo): “want to buy”
  • ~처럼 ( ~cheoreom): “like~”
  • 눈 (nun): “eyes”
  • Which phrase would you use to comment on a friend’s interesting find?

    Perhaps you will even learn the identity of your find! Or perhaps you’re on holiday, and visiting interesting places…

    18. Post about a Sightseeing Trip in Korean

    Let your friends know what you’re up to in Korean, especially when visiting a remarkable place! Don’t forget the photo.

    Sora visits a famous landmark, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Sora’s post.

    가장 인기 있는 관광지에 도착! (Gajang ingi inneun gwangwangji-e dochak!)
    “Just arrived at the most popular tourist destination.”

    1- 가장 인기 있는 관광지 (gajang ingi inneun gwangwangji)

    First is an expression meaning “the most popular tourist spot.”
    This phrase ends with the noun 관광지 (gwangwangji) meaning “tourist spot.”

    2- 도착 ( dochak)

    Then comes the phrase – “arrive.”
    On Facebook, it’s common to see people ending their sentences with a noun instead of using a verb, for example, 관광지에 도착 (gwangwangji-e dochak) instead of 관광지에 도착했다 (gwangwangji-e dochakaetda). Both can be used to mean “I arrived at a tourist spot.”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Sora’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 부러워~ (Bureowo-)

    Her neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “I envy you~”
    Min-Hee’s comment is made in a friendly, warm spirit.

    2- 나도 가보고 싶다. (Nado gabogo sipda.)

    Her supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “I want to go there too.”
    Even the supervisor would like to be where Sora is.

    3- 경치가 좋은데? 그냥 거기 살아. (Gyeongchiga joeunde? Geunyang geogi sara.)

    Her college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “Nice view, right? Just live there.”
    Perhaps also envious, joker Samsik makes a suggestion.

    4- 사람 진짜 많다. (Saram jinjja manta.)

    Her nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “There are a lot of people.”
    Perhaps Manse is being cynical and comments on the crowd, or he is just making an observation.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 가장 (gajang): “most, best”
  • 관광지 (gwangwangji): “tourist attraction”
  • 가보고 싶다 (gabogo sipda): “want to go”
  • 부럽다 (bureopda): “envious”
  • 경치 (gyeongchi): “view”
  • 그냥 (geunyang): “just, as it is”
  • Which phrase would you prefer when a friend posts about a famous landmark?

    Share your special places with the world. Or simply post about your relaxing experiences.

    19. Post about Relaxing Somewhere in Korean

    So you’re doing nothing yet you enjoy that too? Tell your social media friends about it in Korean!

    Jae-Wu relaxes at a beautiful place, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Jae-Wu’s post.

    이런 곳에서 평생 살고 싶어. (Ireon goseseo pyeongsaeng salgo sipeo.)
    “I wish to live in a place like this forever.”

    1- 이런 곳에서 (ireon goseseo )

    First is an expression meaning “a place like this.”
    Unlike 거 (geo), which means “a thing” and is a shortened form of the noun 것 (geot), the noun 곳 (got) means “a place” and doesn’t have a shortened form that’s used in daily conversation.

    2- 평생 살고 싶어. (pyeongsaeng salgo sippeo.)

    Then comes the phrase – “I want to live forever..”
    The noun 평생 (peyongsaeng) literally means “for my entire life” and can be used to mean “doing something forever.”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Jae-Wu’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 완전 부러움. 흥흥. (Wanjeon bureoum. heung heung.)

    His nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “So jealous. ”
    Use this expression to show you are feeling cynical.

    2- 진짜 예쁘다. (Jinjja yeppeuda.)

    His neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “It’s so pretty.”
    This compliment shows an optimistic, positive attitude.

    3- 다음엔 꼭 나도 캐리어에 넣어서 데려가~ (Daeumen kkok nado kaerieo-e neoeoseo deryeoga~)

    His wife’s high school friend, Song-Hui, uses an expression meaning – “Make sure to bring me with you in a suitcase next time~”
    Song-Hui is joking, of course.

    4- 완전 타서 오겠구나. (Wanjeon taseo ogetguna.)

    His supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “I bet you guys will be coming back all tanned.”
    Gong-yu comments to keep the conversation going.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 이런 곳 (ireon got): “a place like this”
  • 평생 (pyeongsaeng): “one’s whole life”
  • 살고 싶어 ( salgo sipeo): “I want to live”
  • 부러움 (bureoum): “envy”
  • 다음에 (daeume): “next time”
  • 캐리어 (kaerieo): “wheeled suitcase”
  • 예쁘다 (yeppeuda ): “pretty”
  • Which phrase would you use to comment on a friend’s feed?

    The break was great, but now it’s time to return home.

    20. What to Say in Korean When You’re Home Again

    And you’re back! What will you share with friends and followers?

    Sora returns home after a vacation, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Sora’s post.

    시간 빠르다. 벌써 집에 도착! (Sigan ppareuda. Beolsseo jibe dochak!)
    “Time goes so fast. Arrived at home already!”

    1- 시간 빠르다 (sigan ppareuda.)

    First is an expression meaning “Time goes so fast..”
    This expression literally means “Time is fast” but can be translated as “Time flies.”

    2- 벌써 집에 도착! (Beolsseo jibe dochak!)

    Then comes the phrase – “Arrived at home already!.”
    The noun 집 (jip) means “a house,’ but it cannot be used idiomatically as in “home country” like in English.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Sora’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 어서와! (Eoseowa!)

    Her neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “Welcome back!”
    Use this expression to show you are feeling warmhearted.

    2- 기념품 기대하고 있을게. (Ginyeompum gidaehago isseulge.)

    Her nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “I’m (so) waiting for the souvenirs.”
    Manse is eager to see what Sora brought back from holiday.

    3- 많이 탔어? 사진 보여줘~ (Mani tasseo? Sajin boyeojwo-)

    Her high school friend, Song-Hui, uses an expression meaning – “Sunburnt? Share some pics-”
    Song-Hui is curious to see pictures.

    4- 이제 일해야지? (Ije ilhaeyaji?)

    Her supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “Ready for work?”
    Old-fashioned Gong-yu only wants to know if Sora will return to work soon.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 시간 (sigan): “time”
  • 빠르다 (ppareuda ): “fast”
  • 도착 (dochak): “arrive”
  • 어서 (eoseo ): “promptly”
  • 집 (jip): “house”
  • 사진 (sajin ): “photo”
  • 기대 (gidae): “expect”
  • How would you welcome a friend back from a trip?

    What do you post on social media when you have something huge to celebrate?

    21. It’s Time to Celebrate in Korean

    It’s an historic day and you wish to post something about it on social media. What would you say?

    Jae-Wu gets a huge promotion at work, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Jae-Wu’s post.

    대리로 승진했어! (Daeriro seungjinhasseo!)
    “Promoted to junior manager!”

    1- 대리로 (daeriro)

    First is an expression meaning “as a junior manager.”
    When someone works at a company for around two years, he/she will be promoted to 대리 (daeri) or “junior manager.”

    2- 승진했어 (seungjinhasseo)

    Then comes the phrase – “I’m promoted.”
    The noun 승진 (seungjin) is the word for “promotion,” so this literally means “I do promotion.”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Jae-Wu’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 고생 많았어. 축하축하! (Gosaeng manasseo. Chukachuka!)

    His wife, Sora, uses an expression meaning – “Good job. Congratulations!”
    Sora is obviously proud of her husband’s accomplishment.

    2- 내 자리가 위험한데? (Nae jariga wiheomhande?)

    His supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “My position isn’t safe anymore?”
    Gong-yu is probably joking here…

    3- 축하 턱은 언제? (Chuka tteogeun eonje?)

    His high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “What are you buying for your promotion?”
    Hana wants to celebrate this event.

    4- 월급은 많이 올랐어? (Wolgeubeun mani ollasseo?)

    His college friend, Samsik, uses an expression meaning – “Did you get a good raise?”
    Samsik is curious and also joking around a bit.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 대리 (daeri): “junior manager”
  • 승진 (seungjin): “promotion”
  • ~로 (~ro ): “as, toward”
  • 고생 (gosaeng): “hardship”
  • 자리 (jari): “position”
  • 위험 (wiheom ): “dangerous”
  • 월급 (wolgeup): “monthly pay”
  • If a friend posted something about a promotion, which phrase would you use?

    Promotion days are not the only special ones to remember!

    22. Posting about a Birthday on Social Media in Korean

    Your friend or you are celebrating your birthday. Be sure to share this on social media!

    Sora goes to her birthday party, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Sora’s post.

    이제 30살! (Ije seoreunsal!)
    “Just turned 30!”

    1- 이제 (ije)

    First is an expression meaning “now.”
    If you want to say “already” you can say 벌써 (beolsseo) instead.

    2- 30살! (seoreunsal)

    Then comes the phrase – “30 years old!.”
    When you count ages, make sure to count them with native Korean numbers. Make sure you don’t say 삼십살 (samsipsal), which uses Sino Korean numbers.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Sora’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 생일 축하해~ (Saengil chukahae-)

    Her husband, Jae-Wu, uses an expression meaning – “Happy birthday-”
    Jae-Wu is congratulating his wife in a simple way.

    2- 잘 태어났어! (Jal tae-eonasseo!)

    Her neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “It’s great that you were born!”
    A warmhearted comment, Min-Hee clearly likes Sora.

    3- 생일 선물 뭐 갖고 싶어? (Saengil seonmul mwo gatgo sippeo?)

    Her supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “What birthday present do you want to get?”
    Gong-yu is curious to know what Sora would like for her birthday.

    4- 늦었지만, 생일 축하해! (Neujeotjiman, saengil chukahae!)

    Her nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “It’s late, but happy birthday!”
    At least Manse didn’t forget Sora’s birthday!

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 이제 (ije): “now”
  • 살 (sal): “age”
  • 생일 (saengil): “birthday”
  • 뭐 (mwo): “what”
  • 갖고 싶다 (gatgo sipda ): “want to have”
  • 선물 (seonmul): “present”
  • If a friend posted something about birthday greetings, which phrase would you use?

    23. Talking about New Year on Social Media in Korean

    Impress your friends with your Korean New Year’s wishes this year. Learn the phrases easily!

    Jae-Wu celebrates the New Year, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Jae-Wu’s post.

    새해 복 많이 받으세요! (Saehae bok mani badeuseyo!)
    “Happy New Year!”

    1- 새해 복

    First is an expression meaning “New Year’s luck.”
    The noun 새해 (saehae) is the natural Korean word meaning “New Year.” 신년 (sin-nyeon) is another word that means “New Year” and is made with Chinese characters, but you don’t use it when giving greetings.

    2- 많이 받으세요

    Then comes the phrase – “Please receive a lot..”
    The expression 받으세요 (badeuseyo) is based on the verb 받다 (batda) meaning “to receive.”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Jae-Wu’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 모두들 복 많이! (Modedeul bok mani!)

    His wife, Sora, uses an expression meaning – “Wishing a lot of luck to everyone!”

    2- 벌써 새해라니.. (Beolsseo saehaerani..)

    His supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “It’s already a new year…”
    Gong-yu sounds somewhat nostalgic about the fact that the previous year has gone so fast.

    3- 새해에는 좋은 일 많길 바래. (Saehae-eneun joeun il mankil barae.)

    His neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “I hope you have a lot of good things this year.”
    Min-Hee leaves a positive, warm wish for the New Year.

    4- 새해엔 다이어트 성공하길. (Saehae-en daieoteu seong-gonghagil.)

    His wife’s high school friend, Song-Hui, uses an expression meaning – “Wish you lose weight in the new year.”
    Song-Hui is joking around a bit.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 새해 복 (saehae bok): “New Year’s luck”
  • 많이 (mani): “a lot”
  • ~길 바래 ( ~gil barae): “wish for~”
  • 좋은 일 (joeun il): “good thing”
  • 다이어트 (daieoteu): “diet”
  • 성공 (seonggong): “success”
  • Which is your favorite phrase to post on social media during New Year?

    But before New Year’s Day comes another important day…

    24. What to Post on Christmas Day in Korean

    What will you say in Korean about Christmas?

    Sora celebrates Christmas with her family, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Sora’s post.

    모두들, 메리 크리스마스! (Modudeul, meri keuriseumasu!)
    “Merry Christmas, everyone!”

    1- 모두들 (modudeul)

    First is an expression meaning “everyone.”
    The noun 모두 (modu) means “everyone,” but Korean people often add the word 들 (deul), which turns a singular noun to plural, and say 모두들 (modudeul), like in this expression.

    2- 메리 크리스마스 (meri keuriseumaseu!)

    Then comes the phrase – “Merry Christmas.”
    This is from the English expression “Merry Christmas.”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Sora’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 어디나 커플만 잔뜩 있고! (Eodina keopeulman jantteuk itgo!)

    Her nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “Couples everywhere!”
    Manse seems to be less than impressed with all the couples.

    2- 오늘밤은 화이트 크리스마스래. (Oneulbameun hwaiteu keuriseumaseurae.)

    Her neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression meaning – “I heard that it’s going to be a white Christmas tonight.”
    With this, Min-Hee shares a rumour – a nice way to get a conversation going.

    3- 크리스마스에도 일하는 중.. (Keuriseumaseu-edo ilhaneun jung..)

    Her supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “Working on Christmas day as usual..”
    Gong-yu is simply stating a fact.

    4- 크리스마스 선물은 뭐 받았어? (Keurisemaseu seonmureun mwo badasseo?)

    Her husband’s high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “What Christmas gift did you get?”
    Hana is curious about gifts.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 모두들 (modudeul): “everyone”
  • 메리 크리스마스 ( meri keuriseumaseu ): “Merry Christmas”
  • 어디나 (eodina): “everywhere”
  • 커플 (keopeul): “couple”
  • 화이트 크리스마스 (hwaiteu keuriseumaseu ): “White Christmas”
  • 잔뜩 (jantteuk ): “heavily, full of”
  • If a friend posted something about Christmas greetings, which phrase would you use?

    So, the festive season is over! Yet, there will always be other days, besides a birthday, to wish someone well.

    25. Post about Your Anniversary in Korean

    Some things deserve to be celebrated, like wedding anniversaries. Learn which Korean phrases are meaningful and best suited for this purpose!

    Jae-Wu celebrates his wedding anniversary with his wife, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Jae-Wu’s post.

    결혼기념일 저녁식사! (Gyeolhonginyeomil jeonyeoksiksa!)
    “Wedding anniversary dinner!”

    1- 결혼기념일 (gyeolhonginyeomil)

    First is an expression meaning “wedding anniversary.”
    This noun is made of the words 결혼 (gyeolhon), meaning “marriage”, and 기념일 (ginyeomil), meaning “anniversary.”

    2- 저녁식사 (jeonyeoksiksa!)

    Then comes the phrase – “dinner.”
    No matter how big the meal is, you can use the same word 저녁식사 (jeonyeoksiksa) to mean a meal eaten in the evening.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Jae-Wu’s friends leave some comments.

    1- 축하해~ 오래오래 행복하게. (Chukahae- oraeorae hangbokhage.)

    His neighbor, Min-Hee, uses an expression saying – “Congratulations – wishing you be happy forever.”
    This is a conventional and generous wish for someone’s wedding anniversary.

    2- 여긴 어디야? 로맨틱해 보여. (Yeogin eodiya? Romaentikhae boyeo.)

    His high school friend, Hana, uses an expression meaning – “Where’s this? It looks romantic.”
    Hana also feels positive about the photo.

    3- 행복한 결혼생활 비밀이 뭐야? (Haengbokhan gyeolhonsaenghwal bimiri mwoya?)

    His supervisor, Gong-yu, uses an expression meaning – “What’s your secret to maintaining a happy marriage?”
    Gong-yu seems to think the couple knows something others don’t about a happy married life.

    4- 오늘은 둘이 싸우지마. (Oneureun duri ssauji ma.)

    His nephew, Manse, uses an expression meaning – “Just for today, try not to fight.”
    Manse is perhaps also joking, using a rather cynical admonition.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • 결혼 기념일 (gyeolhon ginyeomil): “wedding anniversary”
  • 저녁식사 (jeonyeoksiksa): “dinner”
  • 싸우지마 (ssauji ma): “don’t fight”
  • 로맨틱 (romaentik): “romantic”
  • 행복한 (haengbokan): “happy”
  • 비밀 (bimil): “secret”
  • If a friend posted something about Anniversary greetings, which phrase would you use?

    Conclusion

    Learning to speak a new language will always be easier once you know key phrases that everybody uses. These would include commonly used expressions for congratulations and best wishes, etc.

    Master these in fun ways with Learn Korean! We offer a variety of tools to individualize your learning experience, including using cell phone apps, audiobooks, iBooks and many more. Never wonder again what to say on social media!

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